The Role of the Nurse in Health Care and the Use of New Technologies

Abstract

Nursing has undergone profound transformations due to the rapid advancement of digital technologies, such as electronic health records, telemedicine, artificial intelligence, and wearable devices. Although these innovations promise greater precision, efficiency, and accessibility in patient care, there is a risk of dehumanization when technical focus overrides interpersonal contact and empathetic listening, especially in highly vulnerable settings such as intensive care units and home care.The general objective of this study was to analyze the role of the nurse in health care in the face of new technologies. The specific objectives were to identify the benefits and challenges of technological incorporation, map safe integration strategies, and propose pathways for the critical training of professionals.This is an integrative literature review with an interpretivist and constructivist approach, conducted according to Whittemore and Knafl (2005). A systematic search was performed between October 2025 and April 2026 in the databases LILACS, BDENF, SciELO, PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar, resulting in the selection of 14 articles published between 2012 and 2025. Data were analyzed through thematic reading and the construction of convergent categories.The results show that technologies enhance efficiency, safety, and personalization of care; however, the risk of dehumanization persists when the nurse does not assume a critical protagonist role. The studies converge in pointing to the nurse as the central mediator between innovation and humanization, highlighting continuous critical training as an essential element.It is concluded that the nurse holds a strategic position to integrate technology and patient-centered care. The findings reinforce the need for ethical training and participatory production of technologies, contributing to the advancement of Brazilian nursing in the context of digital health.