Mobile learning in nursing: Tales from the profession

During the last five years, research about mobile learning conducted with nurses, nurse supervisors and undergraduate students has provided insight into the complexity of this emerging issue, which has the potential to positively impact the workflow of nursing care and improve patient outcomes. Survey and focus group studies including confirmation of beliefs of nurses and nurse supervisors and interviews with representatives from nursing profession organisations were undertaken. Nursing student perspectives about mobile learning were also explored through an online survey. This paper draws on participant narratives from this research revealing ‘tales from the profession’, to demonstrate the complexity of installing mobile technology for learning at point of care for the benefit of healthcare professionals and their patients. This research demonstrates the urgency for introducing governance to provide guidance regarding safe and appropriate use of mobile learning at point of care. Teaching digital professionalism early in undergraduate nursing curricula and promotion of modelling digitally professional behaviour by nurses within healthcare environments is also imperative.