Willingness of Nurses to Learn with the Use of Technology: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Investigation

Abstract

An increasing number of technologically enhanced tools are becoming available to meet the ongoing professional development needs of nurses. Only a few studies have addressed nurses' willingness to learn with technology, resulting in the problem of inadequate evidence to guide best practices for technology incorporation into nursing professional development. The purpose of this study was to explore nurses' willingness to use technology for educational purposes. The study was approached using mixed methodology, with interviews providing the qualitative strategy of inquiry. A non-experimental survey design was used for quantitative data collection. Participants included 199 nurses from six neonatal intensive care units in Texas. Nurses of all ages reported a willingness to learn with a variety of technological tools. ANOVA findings revealed that older nurses were more willing to learn with lecture (F (2,183) = 3.25, p 0.041), paper and pencil self-study (F (2,183) = 7.89, p 0.001), and online education (F (2, 181) = 3.74, p 0.026), as compared to younger nurses. No significant differences between the age groups were demonstrated in relation to learning with realistic simulations or with video or audio technologies. Interview participants specified that willingness and preferences were not the same. Predominant preferences included lecture, interactive learning, and realistic simulations. Interview participants identified ease of use, familiarity, convenience, and benefit as primary factors influencing their willingness to learn with technology. Recommendations include the need to seek participant input, to offer a variety of learning options, and to employ easy-to-use learning tools. Additional research is needed regarding nurses' technology-related learning preferences and to measure the impact of nurses' learning experiences on patient outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone [phone]. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]