Integrating Nursing Education And Technology: 2012

The Case for Integrating Technology into Nursing Education

The Case for Integrating Technology into Nursing Education

Nursing informatics is defined by the American Nurses Association (ANA 2007) as:

a specialty that integrates nursing science, computer science, and information science to manage and communicate data, information, knowledge, and wisdom into nursing practice. Nursing informatics facilitates the integration of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom to support patients, nurses, and other providers in their decision making in all roles and settings. This support is accomplished through the use of information structures, information processes, and information technology (p. 1).

The ANA (2007) goes on to further explain that the goal for nursing informatics embraces the processes “to improve the health of populations, communities, families, and individuals by optimizing information management and communication (p. 65). One of the activities that the ANA affirms as being supportive to nursing includes the management and delivery of educational experiences.

Hebda and Czar (2009) discuss how in the ever evolving health care delivery system with the implementation of health information technology (HIT), nurses and other care team members continue to see changes in the ways that they work. They propose that nurses must grow from "knowledge workers into self-directed innovators" (p. 8).

Skiba (2009, p. 48) asks the question: "Should we as educators be crafting the next generation of nursing practice, Nursing 2.0?" in relation to the advent of Web 2.0 applications that could be the impetus for nurse educators to become innovators for the future nursing we are educating. Does nursing faculty have an obligation to facilitate learning with the use of Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, social media sites, YouTube, wikis, and online simulation tools?

Grady (2011) asserts that a shortage of sufficient numbers of clinical sites may contribute to the limitation in the number of nursing students that schools of nursing may enroll and also may negatively impact the quality of clinical experiences that nursing educators know are imperative to a successful clinical education. She also asserts that this shortage may be even greater in the specialty nursing practice experience in rural areas.

Englebardt (2002) reminds nursing educators that a majority of students enrolling today have years of experience with both the Internet and with computers. This means that these students have the expectation that technology with play an important role in their educational experience. This leaves nurse educators charged with the challenge to integrate traditional teaching with advantageous use of technology to support their students in a rich experience.

The role of the educator within the context of this age of technology has moved from that of the traditional educational model where the educator acted in the roles of course designer, lecturer, moderator, and evaluator to the present day role as facilitator. Students assume the active role in their learning quest to acquire, integrate, and synthesize data and information into knowledge, which, as Englebardt (2002) asserts is congruent with the principles of adult learning theory.

Hartman, Dziuban, and Brophy-Ellison (2007) suggest that although “most faculty members did not seek careers in academy because of a strong love of technology or a propensity for adapting to rapid change” educators find themselves faced with the inescapable advance of technology in their careers (as cited in Skiba, 2007, p. 342). Skiba (2007) offers some suggestions for faculty searching for support as they seek to integrate technologies into their teaching. She suggests possibilities such as those that may exist locally at your own institution, possibilities at nearby institutions, a few online resources like Educause, which is a non-profit association whose mission includes the promotion of information technology in higher education (www.educause.edu/), and also the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Faculty Development Initiative which provides support to expand the use of technologies to expand the capacity to educate nursing students (http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/grants/itnep.html).

I hope I have provided some thoughts to ponder as you consider the integration of technologies into your nursing education curriculum. I further hope that you find the links provided here and elsewhere on this site to be helpful in a further exploration of this exciting topic in nursing.

References

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2007). Nursing informatics: Scope & standards of practice. Silver Springs, MD: American Nurses Association.

Englebardt, S. P. (2002). Technology and distributed education. In S. P. Englebardt & R. Nelson, (Eds.) Health care informatics: An interdisciplinary approach (pp. 267-282). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Grady, J. L. (2011). The Virtual clinical practicum: An Innovative telehealth model for clinical nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 32(3), 189-194. doi:10.5480/1536-5026-32.3.189

Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2009). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (4^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Skiba, D. (2007). Emerging technologies center. Faculty 2.0: flipping the novice to expert continuum. Nursing Education Perspectives, 28(6), 342-344.

Skiba, D. (2009). Emerging technologies center. Nursing 2.0: should we as educators be crafting the next generation of nursing practice?. Nursing Education Perspectives, 30(1), 48-49.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Journals

Journals

OJNI - Online Journal of Nursing Informatics
http://www.ojni.org/
This is a free, online journal that covers a vast array of topics in the area of Nursing Informatics.

Nursing Education Perspectives
http://www.nlnjournal.org/
This is a peer-reviewed, bimonthly research journal providing evidence-based information to nursing educators. You will find over forty articles authored by Dr. Diane J. Skiba, a leading expert in nursing informatics. Be sure to review some of her work.

Journal of Nursing Education
http://www.slackjournals.com/JNE
This is a peer-reviewed journal of articles for nurse educators which is published monthly and is available by subscription, with abstracts of articles available online.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Educause

Educause
http://www.educause.edu/home
Educause is a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to promote the advancement of higher education while incorporating the intelligent use of information technology. This website offers a plethora of resources for educators seeking to enhance their learning environment with the integration of technology.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Online Learning Environments

Online Learning Environments

Elservier’s Evolve Learning System
https://evolve.elsevier.com/cs/Satellite/FacultyHome?Audience=Faculty
This site is home to an online learning community that offers support, professional development, educational materials, and online classrooms.

Blackboard
http://www.blackboard.com/
This is the homepage of this online classroom setting and community designed to enhance and support the educator in the electronic learning environment.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Virtual Worlds and Simulation

Virtual Worlds and Simulations

Second Health: The Future of Healthcare Communication
http://secondhealth.wordpress.com/
This blog is home to the 3D virtual hospital of Second Life, owned by Linden Labs.

Sim Man 3G by Laerdal
http://www.laerdal.com/doc/85/SimMan-3G
This page provides a general overview of this patient simulator manikin with an embedded YouTube video providing a visual review of the simulator in a mock emergency scenario.

Sim Man 3G in the nursing clinical lab setting
http://www.laerdal.com/UserStories/48345521/Integrating-simulation-into-nursing-curriculum
This link shows a demonstration of Laerdal’s Sim Man 3G via a YouTube video in use by nursing students in Germany to aid them in the mastery of clinical skills.

Rhode Island College of Nursing Simulation Lab
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_UU40p5q7I
This YouTube video clip provides a virtual tour of the simulation lab at the Rhode Island College of Nursing. This link takes you to the school’s Sim Lab website: http://www.ric.edu/simlab/

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Social Networking in Nursing Education

Social Networking

Twitter and Education
http://www.scoop.it/t/twitter-and-education
This blog discusses the use of the social networking site, Twitter, and the possible uses in the realm of education, including nursing education.

ANA – Nursing World
http://www.nursingworld.org/
The American Nurses Association maintains this networking website that offers resources and support to members such as nursing students, nurses, nurse educators, and more.

Blog Resources

http://blog.social-marketing.com/2006/11/cdcs-second-life.html
This is an article entitled, “The CDC’s Second Life” which discusses the use of a virtual world as social media to promote public health.

YouTube Resources

Second Health: Emergency and Specialist Care video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp8IyXZAv-U
This is a sample of one type of nursing simulation program with a focus on emergency and cardiovascular care.

University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh Second Life Community Clinical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeK1bBTF9m8
The University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh College of Nursing’s accelerated BSN program uses the Second Life 3-D virtual world as a supplement to their community clinical experience.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Powerpoint Resources

Powerpoint Resources

Emerging Technologies in Nursing and Nursing Education by Patricia F. Anderson,
http://www.slideshare.net/umhealthscienceslibraries/emerging-technologies-in-nursing-and-nursing-education/
This slideshow provides a general overview of some opportunities for integration of technologies into nursing education and found on Slideshare, which is another social media site.

Education Meets Virtual Reality by Diane J.Skiba, PhD, FAAN, FACMI
http://www.nursing.umn.edu/img/assets/15662/Skiba_Diane.pdf
This Powerpoint presentation by Dr. Skiba gives an overview of what she terms “Nursing Education 2.0” with the integration of Web 2.0 technologies to keep pace with the changing landscape of nursing education.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Links to Suggested Sites: Nursing Education and Technology Funding

Nursing Education and Technology Funding

Faculty Development: Integrated Technology into Nursing Education and Practice (ITNEP)
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/grants/itnep.html

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Integrated Technology in Nursing Education and Practice Initiative offers grant monies to support projects which provide education in new technologies in nursing education.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Sample of Suggested Technologies for Nursing Education

PDA – Personal Digital Assistant

Suggested journal article: PDA Use in Nursing Education: Prepared for Today, Poised for Tomorrow by Lynn George and Lynda Davidson in Online Journal of Nursing Informatics

http://ojni.org/9_2/george.htm

i>clicker/web>clicker Classroom Response Devices

http://www.iclicker.com/

This website is the home for an example of wireless interactive classroom response devices designed to enhance learning and keep students engaged in class.

Suggested journal article: Clickers in Nursing Education: An Active Learning Tool in the Classroom by Nancy Meedzan and Kelly Fisher in Online Journal of Nursing Informatics

http://ojni.org/13_2/Meedzan_Fisher.pdf

iPad as a Teaching Device

http://nursingeducator.blogspot.com/2012/03/apples-new-ipad-nursing-textbook.html

This link takes you to a blog article by the blog’s author, Dr. Brent Thompson, discussing the possible uses of Apple’s third generation iPad for nursing education.

Webcasting and Podcasting for Lecture Delivery

Suggested online article: Podcasting: Making Waves in Millennial Education by Susan Long and Pamela Edwards in Journal for Nurses and Staff Development

http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=1023690#

This article discusses the possible benefits of podcasting to enhance the delivery of nursing education.

eTextbooks in Nursing Education

Suggested article: Textbooks on Tap: Using Electronic Books Housed in Handheld Devices in Nursing Clinical Curses by Margaret Williams and Arlis Dittmer in Nursing Education Perspectives

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3317/is_4_30/ai_n35619684/?tag=content;col1