Nursing Education and Impact Mobile Technology What Is Mobile Technology?

Mobile technology refers to any portable computing device that can connect to wireless local area networks (Wi-Fi). Common examples include smartphones, tablets, and e-readers. These devices have become increasingly compact, with some now small enough to be worn like a watch. The rapid development of mobile technologies, combined with high-speed Wi-Fi capabilities, has created numerous opportunities for innovation in healthcare.

Mobile Technology in Health Care

Mobile technologies in healthcare, often referred to as mobile health (mHealth), are used to advance research, health professions education, public health, and patient care (American Medical Informatics Association [AMIA], 2011). Initially, mobile technology like personal digital assistants (PDAs) enabled healthcare providers to access health information. As these technologies became more user-friendly and accessible to the general public, mobile health emerged as a primary method for consumers to access health information and for healthcare teams to communicate and collaborate.

In technologically advanced settings, mHealth is utilized to connect patients and providers through various means, including social media, patient monitoring, disease management, and wellness programs (American Nursing Informatics Association [ANIA], 2014). There are currently over 5,000 mobile health applications available, serving more than 6 billion users worldwide, which constitutes approximately 87% of the global population (Labrique, Vasudevan, Chang, & Mehl, 2013). This proliferation of users reflects the rapid growth of mobile health and the infrastructure required to support wireless networks.

mHealth applications typically use standard methods to access and retrieve data through secure networks, but they are also employing more innovative approaches. For example, biosensors collect data on consumers’ health practices, such as steps taken, calories burned, and sleep habits, which can then be synchronized with healthcare providers’ repositories.

A growing number of studies are exploring the impact of mobile health on patient outcomes, such as adherence to treatments, follow-up visit retention, patient interaction with healthcare providers, and on-demand access to health information. These studies have shown promising results (Ben-Zeev, Drake, Corrigan, Rotondi, & Nilsen, 2012; Burke et al., 2012; Petrie, Perry, Broadbent, & Weinman, 2012).

Impact of Mobile Technology in Nursing Education and Health Care

Mobile technology is advancing rapidly, and its full potential in healthcare is yet to be realized. Currently, the most common ways mobile technology supports healthcare include:

• Access to Health Data: Enables retrieval of patient information across multiple institutions.
• Patient Monitoring: Tracks vital signs, medication adherence, and health trends.
• Health and Wellness Support: Provides educational resources, reminders, and wellness coaching.
• Treatment Adherence: Encourages patients to follow their prescribed treatment plans.
• Communication: Facilitates seamless communication between providers and patients.

The ease of use, convenience, portability, and advanced functions of mobile health technologies contribute to their growing popularity. However, the rapid growth of consumer-based mHealth tools outpaces the development of evaluation standards for these tools. Establishing standards and evaluation criteria for mobile health applications is a priority for federal agencies, mHealth leaders, and health information technology organizations (Barton, 2012; US Food and Drug Administration [USFDA], 2013).

Efforts to create standards have faced challenges. One of the first known standards for internet-based health content is the Health on the Net Foundation (HON) Code, which provides a certification seal for health-related websites that meet its criteria. However, many reputable sites that offer scientifically-based health information are not HONCode certified (Health on the Net Foundation [HONCode], 2014). Additionally, the Happtique organization, which developed standards for mobile health applications, had to suspend its certification program due to failures in performance and security (Misra, 2014).

The takeaway for healthcare providers, including nurses, is that establishing standards and ensuring the quality and accuracy of information in health applications is a collective responsibility. No single organization can guarantee the quality of health-related content. To advance the validity of mHealth, nurses must engage with regulatory bodies, participate in research, and collaborate with mobile health developers. All mHealth tools and applications must be validated for content quality and evidence-based practice to ensure their effectiveness for patients and healthcare professionals.

Responsibilities of Nursing Educators

Nurse educators have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the mobile health industry through today’s nursing students, who will become tomorrow’s nurse leaders. It is essential for nursing students to have knowledge about mHealth tools, as they play a vital role in informing patients. Since the general public consumes more mHealth applications than healthcare providers, it is crucial for nurses to be knowledgeable about these tools.

While it is unrealistic for any nurse or educator to be an expert on every mHealth application, it is important to understand the basics of health-supporting technologies (smartphones, tablets, biosensors, and cloud-based content sharing), industry standards, and guidelines for evaluating credibility and content quality.

Nurses and educators must also be aware of the limitations of mHealth tools and the rapid growth of these tools without strong evidence or current standards. While it is impossible to know every mHealth application, nurses must learn to assess the credibility of these tools and provide appropriate guidance to patients and consumers.

Conclusion

Mobile technology is revolutionizing healthcare by enabling access to information, supporting patient monitoring, and enhancing communication between providers and patients. For nursing education, integrating mobile technology is crucial for preparing future nurses to navigate the rapidly evolving digital healthcare landscape. Nurse educators play a critical role in equipping nursing students with the knowledge and skills to effectively use and evaluate mHealth tools, ultimately ensuring high-quality care and fostering informed decision-making in their professional practice. As the use of mobile technology continues to expand, nurses must remain engaged in advancing standards, validating applications, and ensuring the quality and safety of digital health tools for all.