Measuring behavior: electronic devices in nursing studies.

T HIS ARTICLE provides information about a variety of electronic measuring devices that should help increase the efficiency and usefulness of clinical nursing research. The devices reviewed include two-way beepers, medication dispensers, and monitors for sleep, activity, and heart rate and have been used in clinical studies for conditions such as hypertension, tuberculosis (TB), dementia, narcolepsy, exercise during pregnancy, and family planning. Although easy to use and representative of the state of the art in clinical research, electronic devices tend to be costly, and technical problems can require either specialized expertise or communication with the manufacturer or distributor. The advantages and disadvantages of using these devices in clinical research are presented. The purpose of this article is to add to existing information (e.g., Fahrenberg & Myrtek, 1996; Frank-Stromborg & Olsen, 1997) about data gathering techniques that directly measure behaviors of importance to nurses in research and clinical practice. The six devices reviewed were chosen to cover the most relevant classifications proposed by Jacox, Pillar, and Redman (1990): drugs, devices, and behaviors that are in the domains of prevention/ promotion, assessment/diagnosis, and interventions/ therapeutics. All met the following criteria: (1) behaviors measured are within nursing's domain; (2) behaviors measured span several areas of specialization and scope of practice; (3) behaviors measured are important to client/patient outcomes; (4) use of the device can promote an integration of behavioral and biomedical information; and (5) instructions for use are easy to follow.