Using technology to support the social and emotional well-being of nurses: A scoping review protocol

Aims (a) To review the published literature on the use of technology to provide social or emotional support to nurses, (b) to evaluate and identify gaps in the research, (c) to assess whether a systematic review would be valuable, (d) to make recommendations for future developments. Design The protocol for the scoping review has been developed in accordance with recommendations from several methodological frameworks, as no standardized protocol currently exists for this purpose. Methods Our protocol incorporates information about the aims and objectives of the scoping review, inclusion criteria, search strategy, data extraction, quality appraisal, data synthesis, and plans for dissemination. Funding for this project was approved by Burdett Trust for Nursing in December 2016. Discussion Technology to support patient emotional and social well-being has seen a rapid growth in recent years and is offered in a variety of formats. However, similar support for nursing staff remains under-researched with no literature review undertaken on this topic to date. This is despite nurses working in emotionally demanding environments which can be socially isolating. The scoping review will map current evidence on the use of technology to support nursing staff and explore the range, extent, and nature of this activity. It will also give a basis for deciding if a full systematic review would be desirable. Impact It is important that the psychological well-being of nurses is seriously addressed as more nurses are now leaving than joining the profession. This is an international concern. High staff turnover has an interpersonal cost and is associated with reduced quality of patient care. Financial implications are also important to consider as healthcare providers employ costly agency staff to address the workforce deficit. Online technology may offer a sustainable and accessible means of providing support for nurses who find it difficult to communicate in person due to time pressures at work.