1. The use of handheld technology in nursing research and practice.
- Author
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Hardwick ME, Pulido PA, and Adelson WS
- Subjects
- Attitude to Health, California, Clinical Nursing Research standards, Computer Security, Data Collection standards, Documentation, Evidence-Based Medicine, Forecasting, Humans, Medical Records Systems, Computerized, Orthopedic Nursing, Pain Measurement psychology, Pain, Postoperative diagnosis, Pain, Postoperative etiology, Pain, Postoperative psychology, Pilot Projects, Shoulder Pain surgery, Surveys and Questionnaires, Clinical Nursing Research methods, Computers, Handheld statistics & numerical data, Data Collection methods, Pain Measurement methods
- Abstract
Use of handheld devices with electronic patient diaries (EPDs) can improve the quality of patient-reported information collected in clinical and research settings. EPDs have advantages compared with traditional paper-based instruments that include decreased data entry error and decreased time spent on data management. Orthopaedic pain management, which is often dependent on patient-reported pain levels, can benefit from the use of EPDs. A pilot survey was conducted to compare two self-report pain diary methods in shoulder surgery patients: (a) EPD or (b) paper entry. Compliance was lower in the EPD group, which was attributed to insufficient ease of use. Handheld technology can be used by nurses to improve and streamline patient care by capturing clinical data, by organizing and reporting home health services, and by providing references for evidence-based practice. Handheld technology can facilitate the transformation of clinical documentation of assessments, interventions, and outcomes into evidence-based decision making in orthopaedic nursing.
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
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