Introduction
There is an increase in digital technologies across the world in different industries. Some of the main technologies in healthcare include El-learning, Electronic Health Records, Telemedicine, Portal Technology, and mHealth. These technologies have significantly impacted the nursing world (Booth et al., 2021). Many nursing institutions are using these technologies and have gained global attention in improving nursing outcomes (Urstad et al., 2021). Through high-fidelity simulation, nurses can interact with first-hand simulations connected to their field of specialty (Tosterud, Hedelin, and Hall-Lord, 2013) (Kapucu, 2017). This study will provide a simulation of a technology-based learning method on a nasogastric tube insertion procedure to show this method’s efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, the research paper will create a lesson plan (Appendix) for the students to demonstrate how the learning process will take place step-by-step (Zulhafizh, 2020) (Lee et al., 2016). This study will be useful in improving the use of E-learning services to advance nursing education.
Technological Learning Experience
The main advantage of this technology is that the students witness and put the knowledge they have learned in class into action. This will be very helpful in ensuring they have more experience handling real-life clients, unlike in the past when students did practicals with real-life patients (Kapucu, 2017). Various technological tools mentioned in the learning plan will help ensure that students get this experience. All the required equipment will be available for students at the lab, which will be accessible 24/7 for the students to practice.
Critical Review
There has been a heated debate on technology based learning and traditional based learning methods and their effectivenss. Other than using technology-based learning, the other forms of traditional learning can train the nurses on nasogastric tube insertion, such as lecture training, group building methods, and hands-on training (Ghasemi, Moonaghi, and Heydari, 2020). An educator can use lectures to communicate to the students and is most effective when teaching many students (Mousavinasab et al., 2020). Lecturers are carried out in different forms, including team teaching, guest speakers, and student presentations (Chatterjee &Cornal, 2017). However, one of the main disadvantages of this method is that the learners do not have an opportunity to practically engage in nasogastric tube insertion (Riley-Baker, Flores, and Young-McCaughan, 2020). Therefore this method is not effective in nursing practice nursing classes.
The other method is the hands-on technique which involves training the students by allowing them to participate in the nasogastric tube insertion process. This method is most effective when simulations and case studies because learners can have an opportunity to perform the tasks (Fan et al., 2020). In addition, the hands-on method allows the learners to gain knowledge of new techniques (Randazzo, Priefer, and Khamis-Dakwar, 2021). Besides, it allows learners to try the process and ask questions about the areas where they may face challenges in the simulation (Pivač et al., 2021). However, this method cannot be used when there are many learners.
The other method is group learning, whereby the students are clustered into smaller divisions and allowed to learn from one another. However, this method is most effective when some group members have experience with the topic being learned (Hoskins, Grady, and Ulrich, 2018). The method is mainly used when teaching risk-taking, conflict management, and communication skills (Archibad& Bernard, 2018). However, this method would not work effectively in nasogastric tube insertion, whereby all students do not have prior experience with the process.
Technology-based learning has its benefits for educators and learners. They help to bridge the geographical distance through web learning. Due to the ease of accessing the internet and computer devices, educators and learners have embraced technology-based learning to save time (Nicolaou, Matsiola, and Kalliris, 2019) (Loureiro, Sousa, and Antunes, 2021). For instance, in nasogastric tube insertion simulation, students away from school can still follow the classes using web streaming. This saves time and provides students with distance learning alternatives (Mellati, 2021). According to a study conducted at the University of Saskatchewan to determine the effectiveness of technology-based learning in nursing programs, the program effectively provided satisfactory education and supported social equality (Mohamadirizi, Ghafari, and Yazdannik, 2020). Students from all areas could access quality learning without disparities in the distance.
The other benefit is that technology-based learning methods allow educators to reach a wide population. For instance, the nasogastric tube insertion lesson was recorded and later sent to the online library. This means that scholars from different regions could download the video and follow the process without getting to the lab (Romli et al., 2020) (Stirling, Smith, and Hogg, 2022). In addition, technology-based learning methods provide students with 24/7 access to their educators, which makes them feel more connected (Amanuail, Parveen, and Afzal, 2021). They can ask questions at any time of the day and get responses.
However, technology-based learning does not come without its drawbacks. Most educational facilities have noted that this method is relatively expensive depending on the equipment needed comparing to other traditional methods (Guven Ozdemir and Sonmez, 2020). Although governments have struggled to make the prices manageable, implementing technology-based learning has proved to be expensive and draining institutions’ finances (Brown et al., 2020) (Bvumbwe and Mtshali, 2018). Constant innovations, repairs, renovations, and building structures for these items have seen an increase in tuition fees for nursing courses across the UK, making the course less affordable compared to the past.
The licensing and restrictions of technology-based learning systems are another challenge affecting nursing. Due to increasing technologies, the government has approved various systems that are supposed to be used for school training, and therefore, they require licensing making them more expensive to maintain (Singh and Masango, 2020) (Halabi& Beers, 2018). Even some simple software, such as Microsoft Windows, require an annual fee making it more expensive to use these technologies.
Finally, these systems are under constant innovation requiring upgrades after short periods. Some upgrades are costly because they require time and money to implement (Nicolaou and Kalliris, 2020). Lack of upgrade may lead to data loss, data breaching, or inhibit the functionality of the technology (Forrest &McKimm, 2019). Therefore, the upgrades have to be done to ensure that they work effectively in delivering. In addition, the upgrades may require a skilled workforce to install and run the systems (Zhang et al., 2019) (Archibald, and Barnard, 2017). This shows that the system upgrades may be time-consuming and expensive, leading to higher learning costs.
Conclusion
Technology-based learning is inevitable in the nursing industry as it has been adopted in other industries. Therefore the best way is to seek to minimize its obstacles while maximizing its profits. Some of the profits are that it enables distance learning, allows educators to reach a wide range of audiences, and overcomes social inequalities. However, on the other hand, technology-based learning is costly to acquire, requires licensing, and expensive upgrades. The UK government should seek to subsidize technology-based learning equipment prices to avoid the high prices being passed to the students through high fees.
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