Performing Telecare: Recognizing New Nursing Care Practices

摘要

Telecare is increasingly becoming a part of nursing care, and also in mental health care. In this paper, we study the effects telecare has on nursing care, by showing the first results of research on care by webcam for SMI (severely mentally ill) patients who live at home. Based on ethnographic fieldwork, we show how the nursing practice is altered by the use of technology. New nursing care practices emerge when care is given at a distance, using a webcam. The changes in care practice are noticed by nurses, but not fully recognized. Even more importantly, the new practices are not shared and discussed. Discussing changing practices among nurses is essential, in order to support nurses to name and purposely use the opportunities technology brings.