Use of technological equipment in critical care units: nurses' perceptions in Greece.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of nurses who work in critical care units about positive and negative effects related to the use of technological equipment and identify relationships between these perceptions and demographic characteristics of participants.

BACKGROUND: Previous researchers have investigated the perceptions of nursing personnel about the effects of technology on clinical practice. However, most of them focus on specific negative effects. Positive and negative effects have never been studied as a whole.

DESIGN: Critical care nurses were surveyed to elicit their perceptions regarding the use of technological equipment. The instrument comprised a 14-item questionnaire and a series of demographic characteristics. A five-point Likert scale was used for each of these 14 questions.

METHODS: The questionnaire was administered to 122 nurses working at the four critical care units of a major academic hospital in Patras, Greece, from 1/10/2003 to 31/12/2003. The completion of the questionnaires was achieved by means of a personal interview.

RESULTS: A total of 118 questionnaires were completed. The majority of nurses recognized the positive effects of equipment regarding patient care and clinical practice. At the same time, they agreed that use of equipment possibly leads to increased risk due to human errors or mechanical faults, increased stress and restricted autonomy of nursing personnel.

CONCLUSIONS: The use of machines does not add to nursing prestige and this may be related to decreased autonomy. Human errors, mechanical faults and increased stress do not seem to come as a result of time constriction but rather of inadequate education. Undergraduate and continuing education should respond efficiently to the needs of contemporary critical care.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Recognition of positive and negative effects of machines through the investigation of perceptions of nurses is the first step before looking for ways of maximizing advantages and facing disadvantages of equipment use.