Professional Experience Placement

This recently published paper by my colleague and I discusses the findings of a study that explored undergraduate nurses’ preferred use of mobile devices in healthcare settings because there was little research regarding the frequency of use type of information accessed or preferred to access using mobile devices by undergraduate nurses during work integrated learning or WIL.

This study aimed (1) to advance understanding how mobile devices were used to access information at, and away, from the workplace; and (2) to determine differences in accessing information by students during clinical practice or away from the workplace.

We report on the differences of behaviour of respondents in their preferred use of mobile devices. We found students in community settings indicated they disagreed that portable and mobile devices could be distracting to patient and client care, whereas students based in major hospitals indicated they agreed with the statement. The students at major hospitals were more confident in using mobile devices for communication for study and work purposes than those based in community settings. Respondents were less sure whether patients believed portable or mobile devices could be beneficial their care.  Pooled responses indicated respondents agreed the use of mobile devices could be beneficial for learning during WIL.

We also found generational difference may have contributed to the preferred ubiquity of mobile devices in the workplace. With two thirds of the respondents being aged under 41 years they would have used digital technology for much of their lives, so the proposal to have easy access to mini-laptops and tablet devices at the workplace is no surprise. Currently access to mobile devices within healthcare settings in Australia is low. Students based in major hospitals were strident in their views indicating they strongly agreed they were confident in the use of mobile technology, consistently rating their agreement with the statements about mobile device use higher than students based in community settings. Respondents from major hospitals perceived that patients and staff were more likely to believe that the use of mobile devices could be distracting to their care.

This notion may be related to the perceived nature of the activities undertaken within this acute setting. Students may perceive this environment as more technological or complex than the out-of-hospital setting. They may also perceive the acuity of patients is higher within the ward context than community settings. Due to the patient-load, routine or timeliness of care delivery, students may perceive there is less time or opportunity to use mobile devices. As the use of mobile devices remains a novelty, students may be unaware of their potential capacity to assist with effective delivery of patient care. Students in community settings believed that the use of mobile devices was less likely to distract than students from major hospitals.

Undergraduate students are the next generation of health professionals. To enable them to deliver safe and competent care there is a need to overcome the current mobile learning paradox of inability to access on one hand, but recognized and preferred for supporting learning in a range of healthcare environments on the other.  For the development of a culture of learning, there needs to be development of policies and guidelines to support student and health professionals, in the use of mobile devices. The usability of mobile learning networks will only be effective when appropriate and robust policy is developed to guide and supportclinical supervisors and clinicians to learn how to use digital technology in situ. Teaching and modelling the appropriate use of mobile learning will assist with professional identity formation and over time will promote a desirable cultural shift towards appropriate and safe use by clinicians. With the development of robust policy, mobile learning can become embedded in the workplace and support workforce development within health care environments.

If you are interested in the findings regarding current undergraduate nurse use of mobile devices you can find it here.  If you have any comments about this topic you are welcome to post them here.  Please join us @PEPCommunity.