A mixed-methods pilot examination of Montana, North Dakota nurse practitioner telepresence behaviors through web-camera eye-tracking and qualitative descriptive interviews

BACKGROUND: The use of telehealth for mental health-related encounters has increased exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known how nurse practitioners (NPs) in rural areas establish connection and presence with patients through telehealth. PURPOSE: To leverage web-camera eye-tracking technology coupled with qualitative interviews to better understand rural NPs' perceptions, beliefs, experiences, and visual cues of connection and presence during mental health-related telehealth encounters. METHODS: This mixed-methods study employed web-camera eye-tracking technology to measure eye contact, facial/body movements with microexpressions, and auditory expressions during a simulated mental health-related telehealth visit. A qualitative descriptive methodology was used to conduct semistructured interviews with participants regarding utilization of telehealth in rural mental health care delivery. Sticky software, R, and STATA were used for the quantitative eye-tracking and demographic data analyses. Qualitative findings were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Ten NPs participated in the eye-tracking aspect of the study; among them, three completed semistructured interviews. Eye-tracking areas of interest were significant for the number of fixations ( p = .005); number of visits ( p < .001); time until notice ( p < .001); and time viewed ( p < .001). The category Workflow had the greatest number of thematic units ( n = 21) derived from semistructured interviews. CONCLUSIONS: Although an accessible means of obtaining data, web-camera eye tracking poses challenges with data usability. This prompts further attention to research, optimizing the telehealth milieu to lessen patient and provider frustrations with technological or environmental issues. IMPLICATIONS: Nurse practitioners provide a key voice in the design and deployment of telehealth platforms congruent with the comprehensive assessment and presence of remote care delivery.