Relational Dimensions in the Implementation and Use of Robotics in Outpatient Care – An Empirical Exploration and Ethical Analysis of Stakeholder Perspectives

Abstract Nursing care is essentially characterized by relational dimensions. It appears plausible to assume that the increasing use of robotic systems in the sensitive care environment could fundamentally change these relational structures. This is especially true for outpatient care, where the care recipients’ entire domestic and social environment is affected. Nevertheless, empirical research regarding the possible impacts of robotics on relationality in outpatient care – and vice versa – is largely lacking. This paper aims to better understand the interdependence between relationality and robotics in outpatient care in order to define starting points for the care- and relation-sensitive development, implementation, and use of care robots. After a short introduction to the use of robotic systems in outpatient care and the ethical significance of care relationships in home care, we present the results of a qualitative content analysis of interviews with professional nurses and care recipients in Germany ( n = 20). We first carve out three main views on how relationality becomes significant in the context of robotics: the relational network as a (a) condition, (b) resource, and (c) locus of robotics implementation and use. In addition, we reconstruct five typical assessments of the impact and potentials of robotic systems for the relational network: robotics can (a) prevent and disturb relationality, (b) fall short of essential aspects of relationality, (c) help maintaining relationality, (d) improve, intensify, and extend relationality, as well as (e) complement relationality. Based on a critical analysis and ethical evaluation of these empirical findings, we outline implications for the professional self-image of nurses, as well as potential contributions of a relation-centered approach to a successful and ethically acceptable development, implementation, and use of robotic systems in outpatient care.