The use of digital devices by district nurses in their assessment of service users

District nursing services have grown significantly and have adapted to the communities they serve, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. The service provides a lifeline for people who want to maintain and manage their independence and health conditions whether it be long-term, life-long or even acute. Additionally, the district nursing service aims to prevent or reduce hospital admissions by providing a person-centred approach to care (Maybin et al, 2018). Person-centred care is committed to empowering service users and ensuring their preferences, needs and values are included to enable collaborative support and treatment (Price, 2019). In 2018, in England there were approximately 4000 district nurses (DNs) (who hold the specialist qualification as opposed to community nurses) who were available to provide such care to approximately 55.8 million people (Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI), 2019a), a ratio of one DN for every 14 000 people, illustrating the demand in care. Concerningly, the QNI (2019a) also reported that the number of qualified DNs had reduced by 46% over the past decade, capturing the risk of a depleting service and task-focused care (Maybin et al, 2018).