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

J Clin Nurs. 2026 Jun 13. doi: 10.1111/jocn.70394. Online ahead of print.

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.

PMID:42287105 | DOI:10.1111/jocn.70394