Critical role of information and communication technology in nursing during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A qualitative study.

Aim: To examine the need for information and communication technology (ICT)‐based nursing care in improving patient management during the pandemic. Background: Maintaining traditional approaches to nursing in the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic predisposes health care systems to a risk of diminished quality of care. Using ICT (real‐time videoconferencing, mobile robots and artificial intelligence) could reduce burnout and infection risks by minimizing face‐to‐face contact. Method: Qualitative descriptive design with content analysis. Results: Overall, 24 participants (14 nurses, six medical/nursing informatics experts and four technology experts) were interviewed. Three main themes were extracted: emerging challenges for nurses due to COVID‐19, impact of new technology on patient and nurse experiences and concerns with implementation of technology. Conclusion: A significant portion of nurses' work was unrelated to professional nursing, causing burnout. ICT could help reduce nurses' burden by facilitating environmental management and non‐contact communication and providing emotional support for patients. Implications for Nursing Management: Establishing an ICT‐based nursing care system that considers the physical environment and communication infrastructure of health care institutions, user's digital health literacy and user safety to effectively manage non‐nursing care‐related activities and undertake tasks that can be delegated may improve the quality of care for quarantined patients and reduce risk of cross‐infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]