Abstract:

Technology is changing the way we teach and interact with students. Health information, like technology, is changing at an extremely fast rate. Access to information is a necessary and an integral part of nursing and as nursing educators, we need to promote the ability to navigate information in our students. iPads provide easy and rapid access to resources, best practice guidelines, medication and diagnostic information, and clinical supports; all of which are necessary to nurses in practice settings. This presentation will highlight findings of a research study intended to determine how the iPad can be effectively utilized in the clinical practice setting with nursing faculty and students.

Fifty-two baccalaureate nursing students received a 16Gb iPad II to use for the duration of a semester in the Fall of 2011 (n=28) and the Winter of 2012 (n=24) to use in two clinical areas, including an Aboriginal Friendship Centre in Merritt, BC, Canada and an Extended Care Hospital in Kamloops, BC, Canada. Each iPad device was loaded with relevant clinical resources including eBooks, medication/diagnostic guides, and relevant Clinical Skills/Procedure books all from Elsevier. All students agreed to participate in a research study about their use of the device in clinical nursing education. Students received a brief introduction to the device, and were encouraged to use them as they wished in the clinical setting. At the beginning of the study, students were invited to complete an online computer literacy evaluation and at the completion of the study, students were asked to complete an online survey about their experiences and uses with the iPad. As well, they were invited to participate in one of the group interviews about their experience with iPads and their recommendations for the future.

The presentation will detail the findings that emerged from the interviews and surveys, including how the students used the devices, the challenges they encountered, and the insights that students shared about the use of the device in clinical nursing education. At the conclusion of the presentation, the presenter will identify a number of directions for nursing education, faculty development, and future research regarding the use of iPads in undergraduate clinical education.