The Impact of Smart Wards Construction on Nursing Efficiency and Patient Safety: An Empirical Study Based on SEM
Keywords:
Smart Wards, SEM, Nursing Efficiency, Patient Safety, Technology AcceptanceAbstract
Amid the ongoing digital transformation of healthcare, the emergence of smart wards is reshaping conventional approaches to nursing practice through the integration of technologies including the Internet of Things, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence. Against this backdrop, this study investigates whether the development of smart wards contributes to greater nursing work efficiency and improved patient safety, while examining healthcare professionals’ technology acceptance and interaction with these systems as a mediating mechanism from a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) perspective. Data were collected from 669 healthcare professionals working across several large tertiary hospitals in China. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was subsequently employed to assess the relationships between smart ward development (SW), perceived nursing work efficiency (EFF), perceived patient safety (SAFE), and technology acceptance (TAPV). The empirical results demonstrate that SW has a significant positive influence on EFF and contributes substantially to improved perceptions of patient safety. The analysis further establishes a significant positive association between EFF and SAFE, suggesting that more efficient nursing practices are closely linked with enhanced patient safety. In addition, TAPV fully mediates the association between SW and EFF, whereas its mediating effect on the relationship between SW and SAFE is partial. These findings emphasise that healthcare professionals’ willingness to accept and engage with emerging technologies is a critical determinant of the benefits achieved through smart ward implementation. The study therefore offers theoretical and empirical evidence supporting the advancement and practical deployment of smart wards, particularly in relation to improving nursing performance and strengthening patient safety. On the basis of these findings, practical recommendations are developed to support the effective adoption and broader implementation of smart ward technologies across healthcare environments worldwide.
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