Appropriation of SMART Glasses A Qualitative Study on the Long-term Use of SMART Glasses in Healthcare

Smart glasses could revolutionize healthcare workplaces. Despite pilot studies, long-term use insights are limited. This study examines nurses using smart glasses (Vuzix M400) for wound care over several years. In the use case presented in this study, nurses visit patients at home, consult remote experts via smart glasses, and treat patients accordingly. However, since knowledge about the long-term use and appropriation of smart glasses is scarce, this study aims to understand long-term use experiences through interviews with home care nurses (n=7), remote wound care nurses (n=7), and hospital managers (n=3). Data were analysed using directed content analysis, revealing four main themes: personal experience, collaborative experiences, unanticipated consequences, and future needs. Respondents reported personal habits, emotional aspects, and experiences when working with smart glasses. In collaboration through smart glasses, respondents mentioned the increased quality of care and the change in interdependencies. Furthermore, working together via smart glasses had an impact on care at home as well. The consequences of the long-term use of smart glasses led to more feedback between nurses and patients, and to shifts in tasks between stakeholders. Future needs for smart glasses lie in further coordination with various stakeholders: patients, colleagues, IT, management, and developers of smart glasses. In conclusion smart glasses enable hands-free, high-quality home care, where an expert advises with a first-person perspective, the nurse learns new skills and a vulnerable patient can remain in the comfort of their environment. Despite it is currently cost increasing, it also saves time and space in the hospital.