Interdisciplinary Learning and Collaboration with Technology

  

            There are many professions that play a large role in providing safe, quality care in order to improve patient health and outcomes. Despite their role, each discipline has the same overarching goal; to promote health and wellness for patients. Although each profession or discipline has their own focus, we all work together to achieve this same goal. The ability to collaborate and communicate with other health professionals is imperative for students entering the nursing profession.

            In order to achieve this competency, students must be provided with opportunities while in school to work together with students from other disciplines. There are a variety of teaching strategies that can be utilized, with technology being a primary method. Integrating technology into teaching strategies used in nursing education can be an effective means of ensuring students develop the skills and attitudes necessary to engage in collaboration. Interdisciplinary education can be addressed through high-fidelity simulation. Students pursuing roles as nurses, physicians, social workers, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, chaplains, dietitians, and pharmacists can participate in a simulation experience. In this experience, students work together through a patient scenario to determine the optimal plan of care for the patient. Progressing through this scenario, the students will further develop the QSEN competency of teamwork and collaboration. Furthermore, they will have a better understanding of each discipline’s role in patient care and will value their contribution.

            This simulation experience can also be used for nursing students across each year of study as a means of interdisciplinary collaboration. Nursing students from each year in school can all partake in a simulation together. As a result, the students will recognize their strengths and their individual contribution to the patient care experience as well as the areas in which they need to focus on for improvement. Also, the nursing students will practice their ability to delegate and to act as a leader.   

            In addition to high-fidelity simulation, other technological resources can be used to demonstrate interdisciplinary education. Tools such as Blogger can be used for students to post their reflections, thoughts, and feelings, after a clinical experience. Not only is it helpful for nursing students to read the post of their fellow nursing students, but also the posts of medical students and students in the social work program, to name a few. Reading these reflective posts contribute to the student’s understanding of each discipline’s role, the challenges they face in that role, and their part in providing optimal patient care.

            With the incorporation of more technology in nursing education, we have the capability of using resources that will enhance the learning process for students. These resources will lead to advances in critical thinking, clinical judgement, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration.

For more information, explore the following resources:

Interdisciplinary Education and Practice

Multidisciplinary Team Care

Creative Interactive Use of Technology in the Classroom

            

            As we enter the world of nursing education in the 21^st century, there are numerous technological teaching strategies available to us that we can use to provide optimal opportunities to our students. Educators can use the many technological tools to present content in interesting ways and choose activities to allow students to apply their knowledge and skills. With a variety of assignments, resources, and activities available, teachers are able to address the needs of all students with diverse learning styles.

            Contrary to nursing education in the past, technology will serve as a major part in creating a learning environment that is active, innovative, and meaningful. Students will be more successful if they are engaged in the material and are actively participating in their own learning. In order to develop higher levels of thinking, clinical judgement, and critical thinking, students need to do something with the content they learn. This includes applying the learned content to realistic situations rather than simply listening to a lecture or participating in rote memorization. Technologies can be used as an effective method for student learning and make this application of the material more valuable.

            As I reflect on the educator I am becoming, I know I will focus my teaching approach on the integration of technology. Furthermore, my approach will address the concepts of active, authentic, applied, and experiential learning. In promoting active learning, I will encourage my students to engage in activities which will assist them in their ability to make connections. An example is the use of case studies presented through either PowerPoint or Action Mazes. Glogster could be employed as a teaching strategy for authentic learning as it gives students the opportunity to create a project that can be utilized in the real world. In ensuring the inclusion of applied learning in my teaching, I will use technologies such as high-fidelity simulations and Second Life in order for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real world situations. Lastly, strategies such as Blogger, digital storytelling, and Weebly, endorse experiential learning as students are able to reflect and gain meaning on the application of their knowledge. By utilizing various technological strategies, such as these, throughout my teaching, I will be providing a learning environment that focuses on active, authentic, applied, and experiential learning. Additionally, these strategies demonstrate how I will make learning real for the students and how I will consider their needs and learning styles in choosing the strategies to be used.   

My Role As An Emerging Nurse Educator in the 21st Century Age of Technology

              Becoming a nurse educator in this century is an exciting experience as new innovative ways to help students develop deeper learning are being explored and implemented into practice. This transformation in approach to education is the result of the ever-changing health care field, the nursing profession, educational ideologies, and the explosion of technological advances. Contrary the previous traditional classroom, an educator in the 21^st century serves as a facilitator, guiding students on their path to learning. This involves providing the content and activities to assist students in their knowledge development and ensuring these activities are centered on the students. Creating a classroom that encourages active learning as opposed to passive will allow students to become more engaged with the material leading to improved critical thinking, retention, and deeper learning.

            Students, today, have been exposed to technology throughout their lives. They are often comfortable with navigating these tools and are more apt to actively participate in the learner activities when a form of technology is used. Therefore, as an educator I plan to utilize teaching strategies in my classroom with a technology element. As it is still important to base teaching off of the educational theories and principles, I will incorporate these into the technologies used. With the use of online databases and search engines, students will have easy access to materials and resources to contribute to their knowledge. Growing up in a technology era, students are accustomed to immediate feedback and communication. In order to maintain this concept, I will provide continuous formative feedback and provide multiple avenues for communication such as email, phone, and skype. As I utilize technology in teaching strategies, I will choose activities that address each of the six competencies identified by the QSEN project. As a result, students will graduate with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to provide high quality, safe nursing care. 

This video presents the innovative, technological teaching strategy of a virtual clinical simulation. These are web-based simulations where students work through a virtual case study and choose how to proceed. Similar to case studies and simulation experiences, this virtual clinical simulation improves students’ critical thinking and clinical judgement.

Here are additional resources:

Various technological tools for learning

Open educational resources