TY - JOUR
T1 - Knowledge work in nursing and midwifery
T2 - An evaluation through computer-mediated communication
AU - Brooks, Fiona
AU - Scott, Peter
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the UK Department of Health, under the information and Communications Technologies Research Initiative (121-7184). We would also like to thank the nursing and midwifery staff at the hospital. Many thanks also go to Christine Rospopa, Kevin Quick, Maria Macintyre, the operational group and our reviewers for the International Journal of Nursing Studies. We would also like to make special mention of the contribution to the discussion forums of Sharon Hodsdon, a true knowledge worker and midwife, a tragic loss.
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - Recent changes in policy and culture require health workers to incorporate "knowledge work" as a routine component of professional practice. Innovative computer-mediated communication technologies provide the opportunity to evaluate the nature of "knowledge work" within nursing and midwifery. This study embedded an online discussion system into an acute NHS Trust to support interaction within communities of practice. The complete record of online communications was analysed. Nurses were found to predominantly engage in information work with knowledge work restricted to senior-to-senior level exchanges. In contrast, midwives were observed to employ the technology to support knowledge work between all grades. The study indicates that technology can support knowledge work, including conveying tacit knowledge effectively.
AB - Recent changes in policy and culture require health workers to incorporate "knowledge work" as a routine component of professional practice. Innovative computer-mediated communication technologies provide the opportunity to evaluate the nature of "knowledge work" within nursing and midwifery. This study embedded an online discussion system into an acute NHS Trust to support interaction within communities of practice. The complete record of online communications was analysed. Nurses were found to predominantly engage in information work with knowledge work restricted to senior-to-senior level exchanges. In contrast, midwives were observed to employ the technology to support knowledge work between all grades. The study indicates that technology can support knowledge work, including conveying tacit knowledge effectively.
KW - Computer-mediated communication
KW - Knowledge work
KW - National service frameworks
KW - Nursing informatics
KW - Professional communication
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=28444479558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2005.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2005.02.003
M3 - Journal Article
C2 - 16326164
AN - SCOPUS:28444479558
SN - 0020-7489
VL - 43
SP - 83
EP - 97
JO - International Journal of Nursing Studies
JF - International Journal of Nursing Studies
IS - 1
ER -