Page 538 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

TELEpRESENCE n 505

the important components of nursing care communication and interaction, or to
that could be delivered via telecommunica- become electronically present in a distant
tions applications, demonstrated the equiv- real-world environment for the purposes of T
alence of technology-mediated assessment remote-controlled action and/or observation
with face-to-face approaches, and illustrated (Ballantyne, 2002; Hamit, 1993).
the feasibility and potential health benefits In health care, a more restrictive defini-
of information technology designed to inter- tion of telepresence is applied and is based
vene in significant health problems. on robotic technology. A teleoperator with
The use of telecommunication appro- the dexterity matching that of a bare-handed
aches for clinical assessment, although operator can fully perform in a distant envi-
accepted in northern Europe for wide scale ronment without a physical presence. The
clinical deployment (Ernesäter et al., 2009), sensory information generated by and within
shows great promise in assisting nurses in the computer compels a feeling of being pre-
important components of the nursing pro- sent in the distant real world. Throughout the
cess, such as assessment, diagnosis, and published literatures relevant to the health
intervention (Snooks et al., 2008). Telenursing sciences, the terms virtual presence and tel-
also expanded the practice of nursing across erobotics are used interchangeably.
state and international borders, challenging The venue of the robotic technology,
many of the assumptions that have created combined with advances in computer tech-
a state-based system of nursing practice acts nology, have broadened the scope and
and licensing (Holmström & Höglund, 2007; ability of surgery, especially stereotactic
Schlachta-Fairchild, Varghese, Deickman, neurosurgery and laparoscopy (Ballantyne,
& Castelli, 2010). In response to telepractice, 2002; Ballantyne, Hourmont, & Wasielewski,
the creation of a new mechanism for licen- 2003; gandsas, parekh, Bleech, & Tong, 2007;
sure and practice are warranted (American Vespa et al., 2007) as well as truama care in
Nurses Association, 1998; Miller & Morgan, emergency rooms (Daruwalla, Collins, &
2009). The guiding framework critical to pro- Moore, 2010). In addition, robotic surgery
viding safe, competent, and ethical nursing lends itself to telesurgery, in which surgeons
telepractice services is based on the nursing and patients are in remote geographic loca-
process, and targets improving the nurse- tions. Nurses have assisted in those surgeries
patient connection while embracing the ben- (DeKastle, 2009; Eckberg, 1998; peck, 1992).
efits of health care technology innovations. More recently, a shift from a traditional
In sum, the fields of telehealth, telenurs- hospital-centered model of care in geriatrics
ing, and telepractice are not mixing infor- to a home-based model has created oppor-
mation technology and the nursing practice; tunities for using telepresence with mobile
however, they are incorporating electronic robotic systems in home telecare (Boissy,
correlates with all professional dimensions Corriveau, Michaud, Labonte, & Royer, 2007;
of the nursing practice. Michaud et al., 2010). Teleoperated mobile
robotic systems in the home were found
Josette Jones to be useful in assisting multidisciplinary
patient care through improved communica-
tion between patients and health care profes-
Telepresence sionals, and offering respite and support to
caregivers under certain conditions.
The ability of telepresence in health
Telepresence is the use of virtual real- care is a reality, although it is still evolving.
ity to enter a shared cyberspace graphic The ultimate use of telerobotics remains
environment for the purposes of human uncertain; and to date, no nursing practice