Nurses open to idea of robots

Front-line staff in the Norwegian nursing and care sector would welcome sensor and robot technology in nursing homes and the homes of elderly people.The reason is that such a move would give more time that personnel could use for social contact with clients. They also believe that sensors and robots will enable elderly people to stay longer in their own homes.

These are some of the results of a study carried out by SINTEF for the Norwegian Association of Local and Region-al Authorities. The survey found that staff regard cleaning, and moving and lifting patients as potential applications for “care and nursing robots”. They also concluded that the development and introduction of new technology should take place in such a way that the level of social support that they provide will be maintained, or preferably, be improved.