Respondents proposed they would use smartphones and laptop computers in a ... use of mini laptops, mini tablets and tablet computers during or away from WIL ...
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Driving Quality in Informatics: Fulfilling the Promise K.L. Courtney et al. (Eds.) lOS Press, 2015 © 2015 The authors and lOS Press. All rights reserved. doi: 10.32331978-1-61499-488-6-264
Undergraduate Nurses' Preferred Use of Mobile Devices in Healthcare Settings Carey MATHER a,t, Elizabeth CUMMINGS •, Penny ALLEN a,b aschool ofHealth Sciences, University of Tasmania, Australia bRural Clinical School, University ofTasmania, Australia
Abstract. The growth of digital technology has created challenges for appropriate and safe use of mobile or portable devices in healthcare environments. There is perceived risk that the use of mobile technology for learning may distract from provision of patient care if used by undergraduate students during work-integrated learning. This paper reports on a study that aimed to identify differences in preferred behavior of student nurses in their use of mobile technology during and away from the clinical practice environment. A previously validated online survey was administered to students during a period of work integrated learning in a range of healthcare settings in two Australian ·states. Respondents agreed that mobile devices could be beneficial to patient care. Overall, students proposed they would use mobile devices for accessing information, during work integrated learning, less than when away from the workplace. The development of policy to guide the use of mobile devices, in situ, is important to the provision of safe and competent care and improved health outcomes for patients. Key words: undergraduate nurse; mobile technology; work integrated learning; mobile learning.
Introduction
The rapid growth in the use of mobile technology has created new challenges for learning and teaching (L&T) in the workplace. The easy accessibility of L&T resources via mobile devices challenges traditional strategies of knowledge and skill acquisition [1]. Currently, access and use of mobile or portable devices and web-based materials in the healthcare settings is mixed [2, 3]. While professional bodies and some organisations in Australia have developed social media guidelines, guidance regarding the access and use of portable devices for mobile learning at point of care is mixed [4]. Policies limiting access to mobile devices in healthcare environments are commonplace, indicating the need for guidance to support the development of trust by all stakeholders [2, 5, 6]. Additionally, there are reports of the benefits, barriers and challenges of the use of mobile devices [2, 7]. These .risks include distraction from patient care, in situ, if used by students during work integrated learning (WIL) [8, 9]. To facilitate efficient and competent care to patients, the development of a culture of appropriate use of mobile devices is desirable. Undergraduate students are the next generation of nurses. Their perspective on the value of access and use of mobile devices in the workplace needs to be heeded if healthcare environments are to remain relevant and contemporary 1 Corresponding Author.
C. Mather eta!. I Undergraduate Nurses' Preferred Use of Mobile Devices
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in their approach to communication and accessing information. This study examined undergraduate nurse perceptions about proposed access and use of mobile devices to enable safe, effective and competent care delivery by health professionals.
1. Methods
This cross-sectional study captured self-report of undergraduate nurses' access to Internet or device-based resources, using a mobile or portable device, at and away from the workplace. The study involved administration of a validated (7) online survey to undergFaduate nurses, while they were undertaking WIL during January 2014, at a range of healthcare settings in Australia. This research was approved by the University of Tasmania Human Research Ethics Committee, approval number H0013729. Eligible participants were undertaking WIL during the study period. They were recruited via email. Two reminder request emails were sent at two-week intervals following the initial request. Consent was implied by completion of the survey. Survey data was analysed using SPSS (version 21). Descriptive analysis, Chi-square and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to explore differences in responses to scales for away from, and during WIL while Mann-Whitney U tests were used to investigate differences in median scores between hospital settings. All tests were two-sided and differences were accepted at p < 0.05 significance leveL
2. Results Students (n=476) undertaking WIL were invited to participate in this online survey and 84 responded (18% response rate). A filter question requiring access to a mobile or portable device rendered 37 respondents ineligible to complete the second section of the questionnaire, resulting in 47 complete survey responses. Fifty-two percent undertook WIL at major hospitals, the remainder were dispersed at district hospitals or community-based facilities. No differences were found in access to mobile devices for gender [x2(1) = O.O,p = 1.0], or geographic location [x2(1) = 0.8, p = 0.4]. There were insufficient expected cell frequencies to establish associations for age group and focus of healthcare organisation. Additionally, there was no difference between the two groups when the categories were collapsed to investigate associations between access to a mobile device and type ofWIL organisations. Table 1. Proposed use of portable or mobile technology devices Away PEP Median (IQR)
During PEP Median (IQR)
p-value*
Mobile telephone (not smartphone)
I (1-3)
I ( 1-2)
0.003
Smartphone
5 (3-5)
4 (1-5)
O.Oll
Audio player
I (1-3)
I (1-1)
0.002
Laptop computer
5 (3-5)
3 (1-5)
