Maureen Jean Farrell*, Victoria University, Melbounre, Australia Track: Research Presentation Topic: Web 2.0 approaches for clinical practice, clinical research, quality monitoring Presentation Type: Poster presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Last modified: 2012-09-11

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This poster presentation will report on a research project that investigated the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) as a learning tool for the education of postgraduate nurses in critical care units at the Austin Hospital in metropolitan Melbourne Australia. Fourteen nurses were supplied with a wireless PDA for the period of their 12-month program. A Clinical Experience Portal [CEP] was developed, using Microsoft SharePoint, for the nurses to record their critical care competencies (PDA or PC), to share information, and to access resources such as drug information, policy documents, and ward lists. In Australia and overseas health care practitioners working in critical care units need to be competent and highly skilled, to prevent errors and adverse events. The CEP - unlike the traditional approach which is often lacking, antiquated or encompassed in paper records - provided opportunities for collaborative activities to occur between the nurse and the clinical teacher in an auditable environment to enhance the quality of the education provided. Two focus group discussions were undertaken ( 6 month and 12 month) to ascertain how the nurses embraced using the PDAs and whether the devices enhanced their learning and competency in critical care units. The findings showed that the majority of nurses used the CEP for recording their competencies via the patient's bedside computer rather than the PDA. The main reason cited was convenience and accessibility to the patient's bedside computer. All of the nurses believed the PDA did not enhance their learning although supported the use of the CEP for recording clinical competencies, viewing announcements from the teachers, and accessing other class and resource material. The data obtained through the CEP was also useful to the program leader for reports, audits and transcripts for the nurse at the end of their program. This project was funded by the Australian Research Commission.