Telehealth and Telenursing Knowledge and Attitude among Students of Nursing in Ardebil University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Abstract Background & Aim: Telemedicine and telenursing are two methods of remote care in improving the quality of patient’s care. The subject of the present study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students toward telemedicine and telenursing in Ardebil University of Medical Sciences. Materials & Methods: It was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study. By using convenience sampling method, 184 nursing students were selected from nursing faculties affiliated to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences in 2016. The data were collected, using Glnkowski et al.’s questionnaire that were used after content validity and reliability confirmation. The data were analyzed, using SPSS 16 software, descriptive statistical tests, Spearman correlation coefficient, and Chi-squared test. Results: The results showed significant differences in telemedicine and telenursing knowledge between the nursing students (P< 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between education and knowledge levels on telenursing. Moreover, 81.8% of students considered the use of telenursing in the healthcare system as necessary, and 72.3% believed that telenursing education should be provided in the nursing curriculum. Conclusion: The results showed that the majority of students were familiar with telemedicine and telenursing terms and they had a positive attitude toward telenursing. Thus, it seems that the authorities should consider the development of telenursing through providing the required infrastructure and equipment in order to facilitate using this technology in nursing.

Keywords

• telenursing
• telemedicine
• knowledge
• attitude
• nursing students