Challenges and Facilitators of Using Smartphones in Educational Activities: Medical and Nursing Students’ Perspective

Abstract

Background: Todays, smartphone technologies and applications are used in the medical and nursing fields. Medical and nursing students are among the groups in which the use of these tools is observed. Objectives: To investigate their views on the barriers and facilitators of the use of these technologies. Methods: Four hundred people (200 people from each group) were invited randomly. A questionnaire was used to collect data. To collect data, hospitals were referred and the questionnaires were provided to students and after completion, they were collected. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software and descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The most important barriers from the students’ view included internet problems in the university or hospital, lack of technical support for this technology in the hospital or university, the quality of existing applications, lack of appropriate Apps in the local language, non-introduction of appropriate Apps and not knowing the right Apps. The most important facilitators were the appropriate support services in the university or hospital, placing the appropriate Apps on the department or university website, designing native Apps with the participation of experts, and introducing the appropriate Apps by professors or universities. Conclusion: The use of Apps is increasing among medical and nursing students. In this regard, attention to the existing barriers and their elimination and strengthening the facilitators, and providing the necessary technical and educational infrastructure to facilitate the useful applications should be considered by decision-makers.

Assessing student perception of the integration of portable wireless ultrasound imaging in undergraduate anatomy education

“…The development of a wireless handheld probe has made the use of ultrasound for anatomy teaching a feasible option across educational institutions due to their relatively low price point and portability. Furthermore, the wireless connection between the probe and a smartphone or tablet provides familiarity to the students (Sheikhtaheri et al, 2018), and allows increased accessibility to students with a limited knowledge of US knobology.…”

Applying the Technology Acceptance Model to Explore Nursing Students' Behavioral Intention to Use Nursing Information Smartphones in a Clinical Setting

“…The nursing information smartphone enabled the students to immediately retrieve patient records, access medical resources, and provide appropriate responses to parent queries. Sheikhtaheri et al 12 also examined the educational benefits of personal smartphones from the perspective of nursing students and showed that the use of relevant technologies saved time, allowed students to promptly access patient records, and facilitated positive learning attitudes. The present study validates the educational benefits of mobile technologies for nursing students.…”

“…In addition, the heavy workloads, assignments, caring for patients, academic demands, and the clinical environment have been identified as significant contributors to stress among nursing students. 10 Although nursing students often use personal smartphones during clinical nursing practicums for instant access to various digital resources, including nursing diagnosis, pharmacology, laboratory, and MEDLINE databases, to facilitate learning, 11,12 personal smartphones could not provide immediate access to information on hospitalized patients' health conditions. The present study was undertaken in a regional teaching hospital in Central Taiwan, and the hospital had used mobile nursing stations in clinical care for several years.…”

“…In response, in 2019, the hospital implemented a pilot program wherein nursing students were provided with nursing information smartphones during their clinical nursing practicums. To determine the efficacy of mobile NISs in clinical settings, it was necessary first to ascertain users' technology acceptance 12 . Thus, this study aimed to examine nursing students' intentions to use nursing information smartphones during their clinical nursing practicum, the factors affecting their intention to use the smartphones, and actual usage conditions based on a technology acceptance model (TAM).…”

Risk Factors Related to Mobile Phones Use among Higher Education Students in Kuwait: Cross-Sectional Study

“…Their swift integration into everyday life has provided clear benefits across many areas of society [1]. In education, mobile phones offer the ability to enrich learning, promote collaboration between students and teachers, and provide flexibility in managing coursework [2,3]. This easy access allows students to connect with classmates, tap into learning resources, and engage with academic support systems, thus fostering a more dynamic educational experience [4].…”