TITLE:
Exploring Hong Kong Nursing Students’ Experience of Using Smartphones in Clinical Practicum
AUTHORS:
Keung Sum Chan, Yee Shan Chan
KEYWORDS:
Mobile Learning, Smartphones, Nursing Students, Clinical Practicum, Hong Kong, Qualitative Research
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.9 No.6,
June
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: Background: The last three decades have seen a growing trend towards information, communication, and technology (ICT). People can access internet connection easily by a different electronic device for social or other purposes. There is considerable research on mobile learning which is getting more common in higher education for its effectiveness. The smartphone can allow the nursing student to access the internet for evidence-based knowledge in a handheld device at the point of care. Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience of nursing students while using the smartphone in the clinical practicum at the point of care. Study design: A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Methods: A total of 18 nursing students from three tertiary institutions participated in the semi-structured interview with simultaneously audio-taped and field-notes documented to explore their experience of using smartphones in the clinical settings at the point of care. Conventional content analysis was utilized to extract significant themes, categories, and subcategories. Results: Six key themes were identified including working environment, achieving information, feelings towards the use of smartphones, possible outcomes related to the use of smartphones in the ward setting, reactions towards negative outcomes related to use of smartphones in the ward setting, recommendations on facilitating the usage of the smartphone. Conclusion: Exploring the experience of Hong Kong nursing students in the present study indicated that the use of a smartphone could be a valuable resource that could contribute to a better learning outcome for the students in the clinical practicum.