Humanizing Digitalnursing Practice: Preserving Caring Values in the Era of Technology-driven Healthcare: A Scoping Review
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Background The digital transformation of healthcare has reshaped how nurses deliver care and express human compassion. Technologies such as Electronic Health Records (EHR), telehealth, and artificial intelligence (AI) enhance efficiency yet challenge the preservation of human touch within therapeutic relationships. Objective The aim of this study was to map empirical evidence on how digital technology influences, reshapes, and preserves the values of caring and human touch in nursing practice. Method This scoping review, guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and PRISMA-ScR, synthesized. Result 16 empirical studies published between 2020 and 2025. Thematic analysis using the Population Concept Context (PCC) framework identified four themes: (1) transformation of caring and technological competence; (2) adaptive strategies and digital empathy; (3) emotional and ethical challenges in virtual care; and (4) human-centered design and organizational support. Conclusion Integration of Watson’s, Swanson’s, and Barnard’s theories revealed that caring in the digital era evolves into technological caring or digital compassion a synthesis of empathy, ethical reflection, and technological proficiency. Humanizing digital nursing requires balancing system efficiency with relational integrity. Further experimental and cross-cultural research is needed to explore the effects of technology on caring behavior and nurses’ emotional well-being, particularly in Global contexts.
