ArticleJournal of nursing management2026
Can Technology Use Alleviate Workforce Needs in Finnish Assisted Living Services? A Convergent Mixed-Methods Study of Automatic Medicine Dispensers and Night-Time Monitoring.
Article in Journal of nursing management, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundWorkforce needs are growing in older people care, exacerbated by the aging population. Technological solutions offer potential means to address this challenge. However, their effects on work and worktime management remain unclear, especially in the setting of assisted living services. Our aim was to assess the potential of two established technologies, automatic medicine dispensing and night-time monitoring, in alleviating workforce needs in Finnish assisted living facilities.
methodsThe effects of the two technologies on workforce needs were studied using a convergent mixed-methods design, incorporating quantitative time and motion analysis and qualitative analysis of two open-ended survey questions. Linear regression analysis and data-driven thematic analysis were employed. The quantitative and qualitative results were integrated and compared afterward.
resultsOur quantitative results indicated that medicine dispensing technology can streamline medicine management and administration, but effects on direct care time were not found. Use of night-time monitoring technology was associated with more direct care during nights and reduced nightly staffing. The qualitative analysis highlighted medicine dispensers freeing up time for other work and night-time monitoring reducing the need for nightly rounds. However, several technology-related problems and a loss of medication competencies were perceived. Our results converged on several positive workforce effects, notably optimizing medication management and promoting individualized care during nights.
conclusionTechnology use could be promoted in assisted living services, when it demonstrably streamlines care work, increases work efficiency, allows for reduced staffing, or promotes individualized and patient-centered care. National care policy can incentivize the use of similar technologies, for example, through staffing level legislation. However, care unit management should prepare for potential technology-related errors and acute emergencies by upkeeping both technology and medication competencies of nurses and ensuring the presence of sufficient staff. Importantly, the potential efficiency gains must not come at the expense of quality or safety of care.
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Registered trials
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