Iworksmart Survey: Healthcare Staff Views of Using Personal Smart Devices in the Work Environment for Patient and Non-Patient Care

This study investigates the views of healthcare staff about using their personal IT and Smart devices (i.e. laptop, smart phones, tablets) in the healthcare environment related to patient and non-patient care. 

Most people’s health information is now kept on computers and computer servers. In most hospitals and clinics staff have shared access to computers or other devices when seeing patients (such as desktop or portable PC’s, smart phones or tablets). To be able to enter care or care related information as soon as possible, it is important that NHS staff have access to enough computers and electronic devices. This makes sure that information is not missed. In some instances staff also share devices when doing clinical and non-clinical work. 

It may be possible for NHS staff to use their own devices at work, for work purposes.  At the moment, it’s not clear if staff already use their own devices, or what their opinion is about using their own devices for work purposes, or their understanding of protected in terms of IT security and protecting their devices with sufficient IT security.  

Methods 

A quantitative anonymous on-line survey asks NHS staff across five NHS sites, whether they have enough access to devices and how they feel about using their personal phones, computer, IPads and other devices for work purposes whilst at work and their understanding of IT security.  

Outcome 

The findings of the research will feed into NHS practice and influence NHS policy and will be used to support NHS staff education and training. 

“This project will help us better understand what our staff think about using their own devices for work and whether a ‘bring your own device to work’ policy would be welcomed by staff.”   

Project Team

Professor Heather Iles-Smith, Professor of Nursing, The Northern Care Alliance NHS Group and The University of Salford

Dr Sarah Clinch, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, The University of Manchester

Kinga Dwornik, Clinical Trials Administrator and Data Officer (Study Co-ordinator), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) 

Research Group: KHP, Longterm Conditions  

Project Funder: EPSRC, as part of the PACTMAN project:  Trust, Privacy and consent in future pervasive environments