Conceptual Framework: Personal Devices and Efficacy of Healthcare Professionals

Theoretical Framework
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July 8, 2022
The relationship between the use of personal devices and efficacy in the provision of healthcare services is essential for the improvement of care. It allows healthcare managers to balance and provide strategic guidelines for the use of these personal devices. However, considering the complexity of the dynamics of both the internal and external factors relating to such usage, broadening the scope and appreciation of these factors is also essential to fully understand the relationship between these two.
In line with this, the following shows the conceptual framework between the use of personal devices and the efficacy (or at least perceived efficacy) of healthcare professionals.
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework using the Theory of Self Care in Nursing
Perceived EfficacyUse of Personal Devices (Frequency and Usage type)Internal Factors(i.e., perception of confidence)External Factors(i.e., workplace protocols)Perceived EfficacyUse of Personal Devices (Frequency and Usage type)Internal Factors(i.e., perception of confidence)External Factors(i.e., workplace protocols)
  The conceptual framework provided above focuses on the various aspects of the research study as perceived using the Theory of Self Care in nursing. According to Gonzalo (2021), the Theory of Self Care in nursing refers to the fact that patients (and even nurses) have the need to balance their physical needs and their other needs to maintain and improve their well-being. Accordingly, although this primarily applies to patients, the author strongly believes that self-care is also needed by nurses to prevent the risks of burnout, fatigue, and other stressors that could ultimately hinder their ability to provide care for their own patients. However, since the theory of self-care encompasses all factors, including internal and external variables, which may affect the nurse’s well-being, an additional layer of analysis is required to narrow down the effects of personal devices. 
Since the study presupposes that ‘efficacy’ could only be measured by the ‘perception’ of the healthcare practitioners, then ruling out other factors (internal and external) that contribute to these differences in perceived efficacy should also be done. This is what Polit and Beck (2017) referred to as data cleaning, which involves consistency checks and ruling out other variables that could influence the results. In the succeeding sections of this chapter, the author will discuss (1) the use of personal devices, (2) internal and external factors, and (3) perceived efficacy. 
Use of Personal Devices
           The use of personal devices in this study is the primary independent variable that the author seeks to measure. Mainly, usage will be determined based on; (1) frequency of usage and (2) type of usage. Both of which could have an effect on the nurse’s efficacy.
           On the one hand, the frequency of usage refers to the total amount of time spent using a personal device, whether for personal or professional consumption during work hours and break periods (Pol...