Experiences of Female Brazilian Nurses with a Digital Interaction Tool, a Secondary Qualitative Analysis Original Research—Secondary Qualitative Analysis

Background/Objectives: Digital communication systems may streamline hospital requests without eliminating nurses’ responsibility for coordinating responses. Little is known about how nurses’ experience of successive workplace technologies informs their assessment of this redistribution of work. This study explored how Brazilian female nurses over 40 perceived a digital interaction tool, without assuming effects specific to age or gender. Methods: We conducted a secondary qualitative analysis of 10 interviews with female nurses aged 41–55, selected from 20 interviews conducted at a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. Following Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, we examined accounts of technological learning, request management, interdepartmental coordination and patient contact. The original interviews were not designed to investigate age- or gender-specific mechanisms. Results: Four themes were developed: (1) learning again without starting from scratch; (2) no longer the go-between for every request; (3) when a digital request still needs a phone call; and (4) making work visible without losing personal contact. Participants described easier request initiation and greater team autonomy, alongside learning demands, duplicated communication and unresolved requests. Across themes, digital delegation of request entry did not necessarily transfer responsibility for follow-up and resolution. Conclusions: Participants appraised the technology in relation to existing work practices and continued professional accountability. Its perceived benefits depended on usable interfaces, ongoing support and timely interdepartmental responses. This analysis offers a context-specific account of the distinction between digitizing requests and redistributing coordination responsibilities; it does not demonstrate reduced workload, improved patient outcomes or age- or gender-specific effects.