Neuro-Advancements and the Role of Nurses as Stated in Academic Literature and Canadian Newspapers

Abstract

Neurosciences and neurotechnologies (from now on called neuro-advancements) constantly evolve and influence all facets of society. Neuroethics and neuro-governance discourses focus on the impact of neuro-advancements on individuals and society, and stakeholder involvement is identified as an important aspect of being able to deal with such an impact. Nurses engage with neuro-advancements within their occupation, including neuro-linked assistive technologies, such as brain-computer interfaces, cochlear implants, and virtual reality. The role of nurses is multifaceted and includes being providers of clinical and other health services, educators, advocates for their field and their clients, including disabled people, researchers, and influencers of policy discourses. Nurses have a stake in how neuro-advancements are governed, therefore, being influencers of neuroethics and neuro-governance discourses should be one of these roles. Lifelong learning and professional development could be one mechanism to increase the knowledge of nurses about ethical, social, and legal issues linked to neuro-advancements, which in turn, would allow nurses to provide meaningful input towards neuro-advancement discussions. Disabled people are often the recipients of neuro-advancements and are clients of nurses, therefore, they have a stake in the way nurses interact with neuro-advancements and influence the sociotechnical context of neuro-advancements, which include neuro-linked assistive devices. We performed a scoping review to investigate the role of narrative around nurses in relation to neuro-advancements within academic literature and newspapers. We found minimal engagement with the role of nurses outside of clinical services. No article raised the issue of nurses having to be involved in neuro-ethics and neuro-governance discussions or how lifelong learning could be used to gain that competency. Few articles used the term assistive technology or assistive device and no article covered the engagement of nurses with disabled people within a socio-technical context. We submit that the role narrative falls short of what is expected from nurses and shows shortcomings at the intersection of nurses, socio-technical approaches to neuro-assistive technologies and other neuro-advancements and people with disabilities. Neuro-governance and neuroethic discourses could be a useful way for nurses and disabled people to co-shape the socio-technical context of neuro-advancements, including neuro-assistive technologies. Lifelong learning initiatives should be put in place to provide the knowledge necessary for nurses to take part in the neuroethics and neuro-governance discussion.

Role Expectations for Nurses and Neuroscientific and Neurotechnological Advancements: A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of Nurses on Their Roles and Lifelong Learning

“…Nurses are relevant stakeholders as professionals and active citizens that should have a voice in neuroethics and neurogovernance discussions given their roles as leaders, educators, and liaisons as well as the emphasis of political involvement and advocacy in their occupations (Canadian Nurses Association, 2009; Huston, 2008). However, as one scoping review noted, there is no academic literature in this regard that links the political, advocacy, and policy roles of nurses to neuroethics and neurogovernance discussions and how to enable nurses as professionals and as active citizens in this regard (Deloria & Wolbring, 2019). Our study suggests that Deloria and Wolbring (2019) were right in their assumptions that nurses can fulfill much more and have the capacity to do so if given the opportunity.…”

“…As Köppen et al (2018) reveals, there is a need to retain sufficient staff levels to offset workplace load when introducing new roles. It has been noted in the academic literature that nurses are often not considered to be a meaningful voice and are not often sought to be involved in conversations and discussions surrounding leadership and policy (Köppen et al, 2018), as well as neuroethics and neurogovernance discussions (Deloria & Wolbring, 2019).…”

“…Lifelong learning and professional development procedures used by nurses to stay up to date for their work can be used to entice and empower nurses to be influencers of neuroethics and neurogovernance discourses. In recent years, various studies have looked at the linkage between healthcare professionals and the ethical, legal, and social implications of NNA (Bell et al, 2009(Bell et al, , 2016Bell & Racine, 2013;Deloria & Wolbring, 2019;Villamil & Wolbring, 2019). The objective of our study was to add to the literature engaging with health professionals and NNA whereby we investigate the perspectives of nurses to understand their perspective on their roles as professionals and active citizens in neuroethics and neurogovernance discussions and the utility of lifelong learning to empower their involvement in neuroethics and neurogovernance discussions.…”

“…Given the roles expected to be fulfilled by nurses and their exposure to NNA, nurses should have a stake in how NNA are discussed in neuroethics and neurogovernance discourses. However, nurses are still invisible in neuroethics and neurogovernance discourses, (Deloria & Wolbring, 2019). The objective of our study is to explore the familiarity of nurses with NNA and their implications; examine the perspectives of nurses on their roles within their occupation and in relation to NNA, neuroethics, and neurogovernance discourses and furthermore, understand the current lifelong learning processes in place for nursing professionals and the potential of lifelong learning to entice and empower nurses to contribute in a meaningful way to NNA, neuroethics, and neurogovernance discussions.…”

Auditing the Impact of Neuro-Advancements on Health Equity

“…"The scope of neuro-advancements ranges from medical/therapeutic, military, education, human enhancement to recreational" [50]. Neuroethics [51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58] and neuro-governance [59] emerged as two fields covering the social, legal, and ethical issues that arise with neuro-advancements [51][52][53][54][58][59][60][61][62][63][64], and it is argued that the societal discussions of science and technology advancements which would include neuro-advancements should be a constant endeavor [65,66].…”