[The Paradox and Integration of Digital Therapeutics: The Perspectives of Nursing Care and Care Ethics].

Digital therapeutics (DTx) are evidence-based, software-driven interventions that are expanding rapidly worldwide. However, current research has largely marginalized the nursing perspective, restricting the theoretical framework of DTx to clinical interventions rather than the fundamental caring relationship. This literature review, grounded in the core tenets of nursing care and ethics, was developed to synthesize five paradoxes inherent to DTx. These include: relational caring versus digital mediation; clinical judgment versus algorithmic decision-making; care ethics versus data compliance; workload relief versus digital administrative burden; and professional autonomy versus algorithmic governance. To address these tensions, a comprehensive four-stage nursing engagement framework is proposed that spans the entire DTx lifecycle of design, implementation, evaluation, and ethical governance. Furthermore, "integration" is reconceptualized as a dual-layered construct, highlighting the indispensable role of nurses in the clinical deployment of DTx. Finally, strategic recommendations are provided covering the dimensions of practice, education, research, and policy with the goal of actualizing a future of technology-empowered professionalism and humanistic care.

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Authors

Lin YH

Published

Jan 1, 2026

Journal or venue

Hu li za zhi The journal of nursing

DOI

10.6224/jn.26404

Paper type

journal article

Source

Pubmed