Tania Santina

Higher Colleges of Technology, United Arab Emirates

Abstract Title: Telenursing Readiness in the UAE: Nursing Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions in a Digital Health Era

Biography: Dr. Tania Santina is the Academic Program Chair and Assistant Professor of Nursing and Midwifery at the Higher Colleges of Technology, UAE, with over 20 years of experience in health sciences education and clinical training. She holds a PhD in Community Health from Université Laval, Canada, and has collaborated with UNICEF, UNFPA, and national health agencies to advance women’s and public health. Her research focuses on digital health, telenursing readiness, women’s health, and competency-based education. Dr. Santina has published widely in international journals and leads initiatives that enhance nursing education and digital healthcare innovation in the UAE.

Research Interest: The rapid expansion of digital health in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has positioned telenursing as an essential component of contemporary healthcare delivery. Despite this advancement, undergraduate nursing programs provide limited structured training in remote care, raising concerns regarding students’ preparedness to deliver safe and effective virtual nursing services. This study examines nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of telenursing in the UAE and identifies demographic and contextual predictors influencing these domains. A quantitative correlational cross-sectional design was employed to survey 307 nursing students from multiple higher education institutions across the UAE. A validated, self-administered online questionnaire assessed students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions related to telenursing. Data were analyzed using SPSS v28, including descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and linear regression modelling. Participants demonstrated high levels of knowledge and generally positive attitudes and perceptions toward telenursing. Female students and those in advanced academic years scored significantly higher across all measured domains. Significant correlations were found between knowledge and attitude (R² = 0.10), knowledge and perception (R² = 0.25), and most notably between attitude and perception (R² = 0.66). Perception, gender, and residential area emerged as significant predictors of knowledge, while attitude was influenced by age and geographic location. This study provides robust, context-specific evidence on the readiness of future nurses to engage in telenursing within the UAE’s rapidly evolving digital health landscape. Although students exhibit strong openness and baseline preparedness for remote care, targeted educational approaches are needed to enhance their competencies and confidence. Embedding comprehensive telehealth training within undergraduate nursing curricula will be critical in equipping future nurses to meet national priorities for innovative, technology-driven healthcare and to contribute effectively to the UAE’s digital health transformation. Keywords: Telenursing, Telehealth, Nursing Education, Digital Health, UAE