Effective IT Use Among Residential Caregivers: The Role of Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness

Authors

Wilma van Etten, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, The NetherlandsFollow
Marlies van Steenbergen, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Research Centre for Learning and Innovation, Utrecht, The NetherlandsFollow
Guido Ongena, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Research Centre for Digital Business & Media, Utrecht, The NetherlandsFollow
Johan Versendaal, HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Research Centre for Learning and Innovation, Utrecht, The NetherlandsFollow

Abstract

Technological innovation in the healthcare sector is increasing, but integration of information technology (IT) in the care process is difficult. Healthcare workers are important agents in this IT integration. The purpose of this study is to explore factors that feed motivation to use IT. Self-determination theory (SDT) is applied to study how motivational factors impact effective IT use among frontline caregivers in residential care settings. As the team is very important to these caregivers, the team is our unit of analysis. In an embedded single case study design, interviews were conducted with all nine members of a team effectively using IT. All three basic psychological needs from SDT - autonomy, competence and relatedness - were found to have impact on effective IT use, though autonomy was primarily experienced at team level. Conversely, the effective use of an IT collaboration tool influences relatedness.

Recommended Citation

van Etten, Wilma; van Steenbergen, Marlies; Ongena, Guido; and Versendaal, Johan, "Effective IT Use Among Residential Caregivers: The Role of Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness" (2022). Bled 2022 Proceedings. 14.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/bled2022/14