The advancement of educational technology has had profound positive impacts on
nursing curriculums. However, many nursing curriculums are denying new technologies into all
facets of nursing education. The most glaring example is the negation and discouragement of the
use of mobile technologies in the clinical setting. The lack of new emerging technology in the
clinical setting has left nursing students at a disadvantage. Because of extenuating circumstances
that impede the implementation and integration of new technologies into the clinical setting,
nursing schools often have their hands tied if they do in fact have desires to try and implement
mobile technologies into the clinical setting.
Research has exhibited that the integration of mobile technologies into the clinical setting
can have profound affects. Nursing students report a plethora of positive impacts when using
mobile technologies in the clinical setting, which include: immediate communication with the
clinical instructor, having a breadth of information in the palm of their hands, and the creation of
an authentic learning experience.
The proposal to integrate mobile technologies into the clinical setting is not without
challenges. Internal and external forces have the potential to undermine and deter the
implementation. To assist with the proposal, stakeholders were recruited to offer their opinions,
guidance, and collaboration. Lewin’s change theory was used to shift behaviors in favor of the
proposal. If the proposal is successful, the impact of implementing mobile technologies into the
clinical setting will create a shift in nursing education. It is the author’s opinion that clinical
rotations and clinical assignments are the most important aspect of nursing curriculums. And by
allowing students to access mobile technology in the clinical setting will help improve learning
engagement, encourage collaboration, and will ultimately create better nurses.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLINCIAL ENVIRONMENT

In recent years, emerging educational technology has improved greatly. In light of the
development and integration of technology into educational curriculums, nursing schools are
providing new and authentic learning experiences for nursing students. These tremendous
changes have been extended into mobile technologies, allowing students access to a breadth of
information at in the palm of their hands. Sadly, it is evident that mobile technologies have been
discouraged in the clinical setting, leaving students to lug around heavy textbooks, relinquish
effective communication with their clinical instructor, and rely on pen and paper to complete
assignments. The negation of using mobile technology in the clinical setting leads to a paucity of
information, which takes away from one of the most instrumental facets of nursing school: the
clinical experience. Barriers and knowledge gaps exist, and are evident with the introduction of
mobile technologies into the clinical setting. Whether it is a lack of financial support, lack of
technological support, lack of willingness to integrate new technologies, or opposition from
individual medical systems that prohibit mobile technologies, there is a deluge of challenges to
overcome in the introduction of mobile technologies into the clinical setting. In order to
determine and specify the challenges, a Delphi technique was first used to gather and measure
information. Questionnaires and interviews were given to experts in the fields of education and
technology. Secondly, Lewin’s change theory was implemented to provide assistance in moving
towards the integration of mobile technology into the clinical setting. Lewin’s change theory was
used to unfreeze current states of organizations, change behaviors in a positive direction towards
the change, and then re-freeze those behaviors. Lewin’s change theory assists with identifying
and altering behaviors in a controlled advancement of the goal. The purpose of the curriculum
proposal is the integration of mobile technology into the clinical setting. Research has proven

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLINCIAL ENVIRONMENT 4
that the use of mobile technologies, such as smartphones, iPads, with accompanying educational
applications, has the potential to offer authentic learning experiences for the nursing student.

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLINCIAL ENVIRONMENT 5
Literature Review

Current and Emerging Technologies

Research shows that nursing schools are incorporating mobile technology into the
classroom, resulting in positive responses from nursing students and faculty. Not only does the
introduction of new technology increase and enhance the nursing student experience, but the
range of new technologies being introduced into nursing curriculums provides faculty and
students an array of new choices to pick from. Four out of the five articles describes new and
alternative technologies being used to supplement nursing curriculums (Day-Black, 2015;
Hargett, 2017; Pu, 2016; Skiba, 2016). This is significant because the findings can clearly be
applied to the proposal. The most relevant article to the proposal is “Using Mobile Devices in
Nursing Education, (Day-Black, 2015). The article describes, in depth, how mobile technology is
augmenting the clinical learning experiences in nursing schools, and how mobile technologies,
such as PDA’s, are enhancing the nursing student’s communication skills, as well as the
development of clinical and critical thinking skills. The article describes how PDA’s, such as
iPads, smartphones, and other small mobile technologies are taking the place of textbooks, and
providing nursing students with authentic learning experiences.