Negotiating distance: "presencing work" in a case of remote telenursing

Ella Hafermalz, Kai Riemer

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Telehealth services offer accessible care to distributed populations. However, it is not clear how the important caring intervention of "presence" can be enacted in distributed settings. Information Systems literature theorizes "presence" in distributed work as something to be created by technologies as a precondition for effective work to occur. Following an abductive research process, we compare extant conceptualizations of presence with an empirical case of telenursing. We find that in order to be a caring presence, telenurses must skillfully employ technology while drawing on past embodied experience, in order to balance the "dualities of distance" of nearness and farness; control and freedom. We thus recast presence as a form of skillful work with technology, not as an antecedent to, but a part of telenursing practice. Our model of "the dualities of distance in presencing work" prompts new understandings and offers new directions for future research in both HISR and IS.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016
PublisherAssociation for Information Systems
ISBN (Electronic)9780996683135
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016 - Dublin, Ireland
Duration: 11 Dec 201614 Dec 2016

Conference

Conference2016 International Conference on Information Systems, ICIS 2016
Country/TerritoryIreland
CityDublin
Period11/12/1614/12/16

Keywords

  • Abductive research
  • Distributed work
  • Presence
  • Remote work
  • Telenursing

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