Development of a Computer Application Used by Visiting Nurses, Physicians, and Patients/Caregivers to Prevent Indwelling Urinary Catheter Occlusion in the Community.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop a computer application (software) for use by visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers, to support their care of long-term indwelling urinary catheters in the community. Development of this application involved: (1) confirmation of the intended purpose, users, and application construction; (2) establishment of the functional requirements for data sharing and communication among visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers; (3) design of three constituent "versions" of the application to be used by visiting nurses, physicians, and patients/caregivers, respectively; and (4) testing of the data sharing and communication functions. The application was designed to facilitate the prevention, assessment, and response to occlusion of indwelling urinary catheters during long-term use at home. This application is characterized by: (1) a unique design of three application "versions" that each reflect the specific care roles of its respective user group; (2) data sharing among the three groups according to their respective roles; and (3) the inclusion of caregivers as users. This article proposes a model that can inform the design of future applications for nursing professionals and patients and caregivers and provide a basis for future research on the development of healthcare applications supporting improvements in care.