A CRITICAL-REVIEW OF THE BELIEF THAT TECHNOLOGY IS A NEUTRAL OBJECT AND NURSES ARE ITS MASTER

This paper discusses technology in relation to nursing practise, The p urpose of the paper is to introduce to nursing literature a critique o f an important and common assumption concerning the relationship betwe en nurses and technology, The discussion centres on the belief that te chnology is a neutral influence upon the practice of nursing, Technolo gy is argued to be more pervasive an influence upon the politics of pr actice, the values of individuals, nursing practice and decision makin g, than many nurses identify, Therefore adequate understanding of the relationship between technology and nursing practice must address the need to be more critical of the belief that technology is a neutral ob ject, and originates from being cognisant of arguments which both supp ort and oppose the assertion.