The findings of this study are useful in organizational,
clinical, and educational settings in updating policies for
perioperative nursing and enlarging perioperative nurses’
understanding of the relationship between nursing care
and technology. Considering that practice at the declining
interaction level and failing interaction level is characterized
by inflexibility and isolation, nurses at these two levels
must develop their competency to the flexible and excellent
interaction level. An important task for nurse leaders
with respect to recruiting and retention is to be aware of
the need for proficiency in this field. The present findings
also have some potential in relation to other areas where
technology is increasing in the nursing field; e.g., the use
of telehealth and technology to support older people in
their homes as well as other highly technical areas such as
high-dependency units and intensive (coronary) care.
Our discussion is an example of how to use nursing
theory in research and expressions such as nursing care
and technology, which might lead to constrained nursing
practices if misunderstood. Further empirical studies are
required to challenge our conclusion that nurses perform
perioperative nursing in highly specialized operating departments
at three different levels depending on the interaction
between nursing care and technology.