Nurses' and Physicians' Experiences With Digital Remote Patient Monitoring—Transforming the Boundaries of Breast Cancer Care

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore expectations and experiences of nurses and physicians with remote care monitoring for breast cancer patients within the Norwegian specialist health service.

Design

Qualitative exploratory study.

Methods

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine nurses and physicians before and after the implementation of remote patient monitoring. The data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results

Three key themes were developed: (1) ‘Navigating patient empowerment: Reassurance, misinterpretation and guidance in remote patient monitoring communication’; (2) ‘Digital care impacts the workflow: Efficiency gains and hidden burdens’; and (3) ‘Clinical judgement in a digital context: Balancing standardisation and clinical discretion’.

Conclusion

While remote patient monitoring increased flexibility and targeted follow-up, it also reshaped roles and workloads and introduced new interpretive demands that often lack formal delegation, highlighting the need for clearer task allocation and organisational support.

Implications for the Profession

Remote patient monitoring expands nurses' roles in symptom assessment and digital follow-up. As such, clear role boundaries and support for clinical judgement are essential for its successful implementation.

Impact

The results are relevant for management in healthcare services, nurses and other healthcare professionals implementing remote patient monitoring.

Reporting Method

The study followed CORQ guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

Four user representatives with lived experience of breast cancer contributed to the design of the study and gave input regarding the interview guide.