Dulce Cachata

Mrs. Dulce Cachata


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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DCDulce Cachata
Dulce Cachata
MCMónica Costa
Mónica Costa
TMTeresa Magalhães
Teresa Magalhães
FGFilomena Gaspar
Filomena Gaspar
The adoption of health technologies is occurring on an unprecedented scale, with enormous potential to improve the health of populations. In this context, information technology (IT) in nursing has emerged with a focus on quality and safety of care for the benefit of the patient. There is insufficient reliable evidence demonstrating how the integration of IT in nursing care influences methodologies for managing and organizing care in terms of structure and care practice, justifying a scoping review that synthesizes the knowledge produced so far. Online databases were used to identify papers published in 2012–2023, from which we selected nine publications that used information technology in the nursing care processes. The participants were hospital nurses and nurse managers. The results show that the integration of IT in healthcare organizations impacts the management and organization of nursing care, and changes in structure, process reorganization, management, training, and the development of nurses’ skills. To minimize this impact, the organizational structure must be prepared for a cultural change, with well-defined and communicated policies and procedures, and strong leadership. Within the teams, the importance of process reorganization, continuous training, and skill development emerges, thus enhancing the integration of IT into practice environments in conjunction with care.

1 May 2025 in Journal of Healthcare Leadership
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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DCDulce Cachata
Dulce Cachata
MCMónica Costa
Mónica Costa
TMTeresa Magalhães
Teresa Magalhães
PLPedro Lucas
Pedro Lucas
FGFilomena Gaspar
Filomena Gaspar
Introduction: The ongoing evolution of Health Information Technology has provided professionals with major challenges in maintaining the safety and quality of care provided to patients, especially when it comes to hyper-technological environments in hospital. This has driven the need to develop specific competencies and maintain a balance between ethical aspects, social and legal challenges related to privacy and data security, as well as the challenge of ensuring person-centered care practice. Then it will be important to understand what competences nurses are developing, based on what models and what instruments exist to assess them. Purpose: Identify and map information technologies and measurement instruments used to assess nurses’ competencies in technological environments in hospital. Methods: A scoping review was carried out using the methodology presented by The Joanna Briggs Institute. Results: Of the 101 articles extracted, 4 articles were selected where 5 instruments were identified that evaluate: (1) Informatics Competency in Nursing Leaders; (2) Technological Competence as Nursing Care – Perception and Practice dimension; (3) Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Skills; (4) Clinical Decision Making in Nursing, and (5) Self-Assessment Questionnaire that Assesses Nurses’ Informatics Skills, for nursing informatics. Conclusion: The development and enhancement of technological skills in nursing care provide an innovative and crucial perspective for managing and organizing healthcare delivery. This perspective is of great importance, reinforced by the reality in which nurses find themselves, with highly technological nursing practice environments that are increasingly developed. Knowledge and use of IT equipment, areas of basic IT knowledge, information literacy, wireless device skills, the role of clinical IT, and applied IT skills are some of the skills identified by this study. The use of various support tools as instruments for clinical decision-making in nursing is also fundamental to the quality of nursing care.

16 July 2026 in Nurse Education in Practice
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
DCDulce Cachata
Dulce Cachata
FGFilomena Gaspar
Filomena Gaspar
TMTeresa Magalhães
Teresa Magalhães
PLPedro Lucas
Pedro Lucas
To translate, culturally and linguistically adapt and validate the psychometric properties of the Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing Instrument, for the Portuguese cultural context. The integration of caring practices with technological and informatics knowledge is central to advancing nursing and requires a refined understanding of the interaction between human care and technology-enabled practice. In this context, the importance of an instrument capable of assessing technological competence in nursing care becomes evident. The Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing Instrument (TCCNI-RePract), evaluates this competence across two dimensions: perception and practice. The study followed a two-phase design consisting of qualitative translation and quantitative psychometric validation phases. This methodological, exploratory, cross-sectional study evaluated the psychometric properties of the TCCNI-RePract in a Portuguese sample (n = 257, non-random). Transcultural adaptation followed established guidelines to assess the instrument's validity, reliability and sensitivity. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis were performed. The Portuguese version of the TCCNI_RePract instrument consists of two scales: an 18-item Perception dimension and a 21-item Practice dimension, both organized within a three-factor model that explains 54% and 62% of the total variance, respectively. The Perception and Practice dimensions demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha values of 0.89 and 0.94. The instrument demonstrates strong psychometric properties to assess technological competence as caring in nursing and can be used as a reliable and effective measure in the Portuguese health system.