[Digital care beds in long-term care-Support, relief for caregivers or just illusion? An ethnographic explorative study].

Abstract

The digitalization of care items, in this case the care bed, is alogical consequence of the general shortage of personnel and resources in professional care and an increase in the number of very old people in need of long-term care. Sensors integrated into the nursing bed, interfaces for data transmission and connection to amonitoring system are generated for moments of support and relief for professional nurses and to increase the nursing outcome. Accompanying nursing research examines the implementation of 97digital care beds in along-term care facility for old people. Mixed methods research approach over 24months RESULTS: The lack or implementation of aconsistent care process, unfavorable accompanying circumstances, interdependent contextual factors and an insufficient implementation management have anegative impact on the implementation and integration of the digital care beds into the care routines. For asuccessful implementation of digital assistance systems (dAS), they have to be considered in the care process besides areliable technical connection. Furthermore, an implementation management as well as the review and adaptation of all relevant context factors are required.