Mobile learning support in patient care and clinical nursing education

Joseph K L Lee and Eva Y M Tsang
The Open University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR, China


The provision of electronic learning at a distance is in line with the concepts, practices and strategies of distance learning that constitute the foundation for the success of mobile learning. Wireless mobile learning devices, such as pocket personal computers (pocket PCs), have the potential to provide students with a common platform that meets the requirement of pedagogically rich applications.

The use of a mobile learning system improves and transforms student experiences. The concept and design of mobile learning is an innovation that is different from the concept of traditional classroom teaching in a simulated or practical environment. In this sense, students are provided with an electronic schoolbag that contains an electronic database of nursing information, assessment/performance record, a notebook, a pencil case, and writing materials, among other things.

A pocket PC is used as a practical tool for providing 'point of care' nursing information, recording clinical nursing care performance, and a nursing reference tool. Students are expected to carry it in their pocket while they are having their clinical learning sessions during their practicum. The size of the pocket PC makes it both convenient and portable.

This paper describes a mobile learning project where mobile devices, namely pocket PCs, are used for clinical educational learning activities. The main purpose of this paper is to highlight experiences in the use of mobile technology, how it was used in clinical nursing education, and presents how clinical tutors and students felt about it. The project was carried out at 16 public and private hospitals in Hong Kong where Higher Diploma in Nursing (HDN) students did their clinical placement. The idea of using pocket PCs as a teaching and learning tool was to create flexible teaching-learning student support while students are on placement.

The case study is based on a group of 187 students currently studying the final year of the HDN who used a Pocket PC as a mobile learning tool during their clinical placement in 16 hospitals to provide distance-learning support and to assess their clinical performance. The Pocket PC was used to download all the clinical nursing learning objectives, essential concepts in clinical nursing, and assessment items. This case study reports our initial evaluation.