{"id":26,"date":"2025-05-15T12:42:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T09:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/?page_id=26"},"modified":"2026-05-11T20:41:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T17:41:48","slug":"digi-citizen","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/digi-citizen\/","title":{"rendered":"DIGI CITIZEN"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We are living in a time where digital services are everywhere. They affect both work and everyday life. For me, this has been very clear because I have worked both as a nurse and now in Health IT. I have seen digitalisation from two sides: first as a user in healthcare, and later as someone who supports and develops systems. This has changed how I see digital citizenship. Digital citizenship can be described through different themes, such as access, communication, literacy, and security. In practice, these are not just theories. They are part of daily life when we use online services, communicate with others, and manage personal information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Access and Public Services in Finland<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In Finland, digital public services are a normal part of everyday life. One of the most important services is KELA (Social Insurance Institution of Finland). I have used KELA quite a lot in recent years, especially because of family-related situations. For example, I have received benefits such as pregnancy allowance, parental allowance, home care allowance, and flexible care allowance. These have supported our family during different life situations. I have also submitted travel expense claims and followed how my medicine reimbursements accumulate during the year. In addition, I receive child benefit, and I pay the student healthcare fee for higher education students. These are also handled digitally. Overall, KELA\u2019s online service is quite clear and easy to use. I can send applications, check decisions, and upload attachments in one place, which saves time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another important service is OmaKanta. I use it to check my own and my children\u2019s health information and prescriptions. I log in using strong authentication, like online banking credentials. The service is easy to use and gives a good overview of health data. I think it increases trust, because I can see what has been recorded and follow treatments myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pension services are also digital. According to Keva, my lowest retirement age is 67 years and 7 months. Because of this, I cannot calculate a pension for age 63. However, I checked an estimate for age 68. Based on my current salary, the pension would be about 1500 euros less per month than what I earn now. This makes future planning more concrete, even if retirement is still far away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Commerce and Online Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Online shopping and service platforms are a big part of digital life. I looked at services like Amazon, Booking.com, and Trivago. These platforms offer many options and often competitive prices compared to local stores. For example, when searching for hotels, Booking.com and Trivago make it easy to compare prices and read reviews. This helps in making decisions. Sometimes prices are cheaper than booking directly, but not always. Local providers can offer better service or more flexible options. I think these platforms are mostly reliable, but you need to use some critical thinking. Reviews can be misleading, and not all information is complete. I usually compare a few different sources before making a decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Communication in Working Life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital communication is a big part of my current work. Most meetings, discussions, and project work happen online, mainly through Microsoft Teams. My work involves people from different parts of Finland, so digital tools are necessary. This kind of working requires new skills. It is important to communicate clearly in writing and to use tools correctly. Things like meeting etiquette, clear messages, and respecting others are part of daily work. At the same time, digital communication makes work more flexible. You can join meetings from anywhere, and information is easier to share. However, it can also feel overwhelming if there are too many messages and meetings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Literacy and Professional Skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital literacy means more than just knowing how to use tools. It also means understanding how systems work and how they affect work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One service from my field that I use actively is OmaMehil\u00e4inen. I chose this because it is part of my occupational healthcare. Through our work contract, we have access to services like the digital clinic. I use the application to book appointments, chat with professionals, and get help without visiting a clinic. I can also check my prescriptions and laboratory results in the app. This makes it easy to follow my own health information in one place. In my experience, the service is clear and easy to use. It saves time and lowers the threshold to contact healthcare when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, it shows how digital services are changing healthcare. Some visits can be handled remotely, which makes the service faster and more flexible. However, it also requires good usability and clear instructions so that users understand how to use the service correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Etiquette, Rights and Responsibilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital etiquette, also called netiquette, is important in both work and personal life. When communication happens online, it is easy to misunderstand messages. That is why it is important to be clear and respectful. Digital citizenship also includes rights and responsibilities. We have the right to access services and information, but we also have responsibilities. We must use systems safely, respect others, and follow rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Health, Well-being and Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digitalisation affects well-being. Being always connected can be stressful. It is important to take breaks and manage screen time. Security is also very important. In healthcare, data protection is part of everyday work. Sensitive data must be protected carefully. From a personal point of view, this means using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and being careful with suspicious messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Gap: Challenges and Risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even though digital services are useful, not everyone can use them easily. This creates a digital gap. Some people may not have the skills, devices, or confidence to use online services. This can make everyday tasks more difficult, like accessing healthcare or applying for benefits. There are also people who prefer face-to-face service. Digital services should not completely replace other options. It is important to make services accessible for everyone and offer support when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Competence Test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I completed the Digital Competence Test as part of this assignment. The results showed that my digital skills are generally at a good level. My strongest area was information (86%), and I also scored well in safety (82%). Communication (74%) and production (75%) were slightly lower, which shows that I still have areas where I can improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The test helped me understand my strengths better, but also showed that digital competence is not only about technical skills. It also includes critical thinking, communication, and safe use of digital services. Overall, the test was useful and made me reflect on my own skills more realistically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflection on Learning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This assignment made me think about how much digitalisation is part of everyday life. Many things feel normal, like logging into services or checking health data, but they are actually quite complex systems. I also noticed that my background affects how I see things. Because I work in Health IT, I often think about how systems are built and how they could be improved. This can make me more critical, but it also helps me understand their strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One important thing I learned is that digitalisation is not only about technology. It is also about people, usability, and equality. Systems should support users, not make things more difficult. In the future, I want to learn more about areas like AI, cybersecurity, and service design. These will be important as digital services continue to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, digital citizenship means being able to use services, understand their impact, and act responsibly. It is an important skill in today\u2019s society, and it will only become more important in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have commented on the following blogs:
DIGI CITIZEN – Anne’s site <\/a>
DIGI CITIZEN \u2013 Tarja’s site <\/a>
DIGI CITIZEN – Bhanu’s site<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We are living in a time where digital services are everywhere. They affect both work and everyday life. For me, this has been very clear because I have worked both as a nurse and now in Health IT. I have… Continue Reading →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12740,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-26","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12740"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89,"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/26\/revisions\/89"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogi.savonia.fi\/siljaheliste\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}