School of Nursing, University Computing Services, Teleplex, & Bracken Library PDA’s (Personal Digital Assistants) in the Classroom, Clinical Simulation Laboratory, and Healthcare Agency Clinical Experiences

Ball State University Public (Indiana State) institution 172 major and minor areas of study in the arts, sciences and humanities 20,000 students School of Nursing: Undergraduate & Graduate

Partnership in Action PDA Project began as a School of Nursing/University Computing Services Partnership (2005) Partnership now includes: –School of Nursing –University Computing Services –Teleplex –Bracken Library –External partners: NuSoft Solutions, Skyscape, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and consultation from Cardinal Health Care System Library (hospital)

Beginning Implementation: Sophomore Level Beginning with the Fall 2006 semester, all incoming sophomore students were required to purchase a PDA instead of reference texts –HP iPAQ hx2790 1GB SD Card Windows OS Mobile 5.0 –Palm devices are not be supported at this time PDAs were incorporated into courses and clinical materials as a model for future courses at the junior and senior levels: graduate program: and RN to BS degree programs

Spring Preparation Project Implementation team began working on project in Fall –Project Implementation team: NursingLRC Staff, University Computer Services Representatives, and external partners Weekly meetings of the working group continued Spring and Summer 2006 –Working Group: Curriculum committee representatives, faculty, administrators, LRC staff Developed video clips for PDA use. Brainstormed additional video content ideas for fall implementation. Planned for integration into other baccalaureate classes and distance education programs: graduate and RN to BS completion

Summer Pilot Test Pilot Test 1: Focus Group – Summer 2006 –PDAs provided to students and faculty for pilot testing – Returned student devices distributed to faculty Pilot Test 2: the integration of PDAs within course/clinical lab (campus & agency) in second adult health course during the second 5 weeks of summer. –PDAs provided to students and faculty for pilot testing –Returned student devices distributed to faculty Finalized reference books for PDAs: –Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, 20 th Ed. –Davis’s Drug Guide for Nurses –Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Interventions, and Rationales, 9 th Ed. –Nurse’s Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 4 th Ed. –Diseases and Disorders: A Nursing Therapeutics Manual, 2 nd Ed.

Summer Pilot Testing

Summer Pilot Testing: Sample Results When asked to describe how the PDA can be used in nursing course lectures:  Quick reference guide at finger tips.  Looking up nursing diagnosis, drugs, labs, etc. Much easier to carry than large books. May be utilized in case studies. When asked what was liked best about the PDA:  The portability and access to nursing diagnosis, drug, and lab values at your fingertips. When asked what was liked least about the PDA:  Not getting to learn everything you can do with it.

Fall Semester Course Integration Sophomore courses: –orientation consisted of four 1.5 hours sessions each containing 20 students. –PDA purchase and set-up: each student was required to report to the nursing lab to receive their Skyscape reference software and custom software developed by NuSoft Solutions The NursingLRC & partners provide technical support: –individualized help –Tech Clips ( –Our own University Library has developed a mobile page for accessing library resources on a PDA. ( Integrated into course and clinical materials: –Case studies, surveys, quizzes, videos, digital images, library resources, , internet access –used as reference for homework or in-class question and answer.

Custom Application Developed We worked with University Computing Services and NuSoft Solutions to create an application that allows students to view case videos, view lecture notes, and course materials wirelessly on a PDA or other mobile devices using a sharepoint server as the backbone for data access and storage. An interactive quiz/survey tool was developed by University Computing Services to gain more student interaction and stimulate material interest in the classroom setting.

Fall 2006 In-Class Use Nursing Lecture – 75 students 3 Staff/GA Assistants for PDA Support

Use in Clinical Lab and Agency

Student Use Evaluation Item # 3 What do you use the Clinical Decision Support Tools on your PDA for? To Prepare for Class To look up information in clinical setting To look up information during class To study for exams # of Students Item # 8 What were the most important benefits you experienced using a PDA with medical decision support software? Time savingsPortability of Information Reduce ErrorsEasy Information Navigations (smART link) Ease of Updating Information Other # of students

Planning for the Future... Continued undergraduate program integration Mobile device integration for graduate program – Spring 2007 Follow-up evaluation of students and faculty Mobile device integration for the RN to BS completion track –Fall 2007 Continued evolution of technology as there is convergence of devices and practice applications

Questions?