Journal article
Instant messaging and nursing students' clinical learning experience.
- Pimmer C Learning.lab, Institute for Information Systems, School of Business, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Peter Merian-Strasse 86, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: Christoph.pimmer@fhnw.ch.
- Brühlmann F Center for Cognitive Psychology and Methodology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 62a, 4055 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: florian.bruehlmann@unibas.ch.
- Odetola TD Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: todetola@comui.edu.ng.
- Dipeolu O African Regional Health Education Center, Department of Health Promotion & Education, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: io.dipeolu@ui.edu.ng.
- Gröhbiel U Learning.lab, Institute for Information Systems, School of Business, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Peter Merian-Strasse 86, 4002 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: urs.groehbiel@fhnw.ch.
- Ajuwon AJ African Regional Health Education Center, Department of Health Promotion & Education, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: ajajuwon@comui.edu.ng.
- 2018-02-24
Published in:
- Nurse education today. - 2018
Education, nursing
Instant messaging
Mobile learning
Personal learning environment
Preceptorship
Social capital
Social media
Text messaging
Clinical Competence
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
Female
Humans
Male
Nigeria
Peer Group
Preceptorship
Qualitative Research
Social Capital
Social Media
Students, Nursing
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult
English
BACKGROUND
Although learning in clinical settings is a key element of nursing education, for many learners these are challenging developmental contexts often marked by isolation and a lack of belongingness. Despite the massive appropriation of mobile instant messaging (MIM) platforms and the connective properties attendant to them, very little is known about their role in and impact on nursing students' clinical learning experiences.
APPROACH AND METHODS
To address this gap, the study, which was part of a multinational research project on the use of mobile social media in health professions education in developing countries, examined the use of the instant messaging platform WhatsApp by nursing students during placements and potential associations with socio-professional indicators. The survey involved a total number of 196 nursing students from 5 schools in Oyo State, Nigeria.
RESULTS
The findings suggest that students used WhatsApp relatively frequently and they perceived that this platform strongly enhanced their communication with other students and nurses. WhatsApp use during placements was positively associated with students' maintained social capital with peer students, the development of a professional identity, placement satisfaction and with reduced feelings of isolation from professional communities. The determinants that influenced WhatsApp use during placements were perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. No associations were found between WhatsApp use during placement and age, attitude, subjective norms and placement duration.
CONCLUSION
This study is one of the first of its kind that points to the relevance of mobile instant messaging as part of nursing students' (inter)personal learning environments in clinical settings and, particularly, in the development setting under investigation. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings, to enhance the understanding of the impact mechanisms, and to evaluate a more systematic use of MIM in clinical learning contexts.
Although learning in clinical settings is a key element of nursing education, for many learners these are challenging developmental contexts often marked by isolation and a lack of belongingness. Despite the massive appropriation of mobile instant messaging (MIM) platforms and the connective properties attendant to them, very little is known about their role in and impact on nursing students' clinical learning experiences.
APPROACH AND METHODS
To address this gap, the study, which was part of a multinational research project on the use of mobile social media in health professions education in developing countries, examined the use of the instant messaging platform WhatsApp by nursing students during placements and potential associations with socio-professional indicators. The survey involved a total number of 196 nursing students from 5 schools in Oyo State, Nigeria.
RESULTS
The findings suggest that students used WhatsApp relatively frequently and they perceived that this platform strongly enhanced their communication with other students and nurses. WhatsApp use during placements was positively associated with students' maintained social capital with peer students, the development of a professional identity, placement satisfaction and with reduced feelings of isolation from professional communities. The determinants that influenced WhatsApp use during placements were perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. No associations were found between WhatsApp use during placement and age, attitude, subjective norms and placement duration.
CONCLUSION
This study is one of the first of its kind that points to the relevance of mobile instant messaging as part of nursing students' (inter)personal learning environments in clinical settings and, particularly, in the development setting under investigation. Further research is needed to corroborate these findings, to enhance the understanding of the impact mechanisms, and to evaluate a more systematic use of MIM in clinical learning contexts.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1016/j.nedt.2018.01.034
- PMID 29475195
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/232256
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