Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Oct 2, 2023
Date Accepted: Nov 23, 2023
Connecting actors with the introduction of mobile technology in healthcare practice placements (4D Project): Protocol for a mixed methods study
ABSTRACT
Background:
The learning process in clinical placements for healthcare students involves several actors, and during this complex process, tasks and mentorships must be implemented in a way that is synchronized with educational and clinical processes and well-embedded in the respective contexts. The increasing number of students, coupled with the growing demand for healthcare service provision from the general population, make it mandatory to develop additional tools to support the learning process, remove complexity from day-to-day clinical practice, and focus solely on value-based activities. This paper describes a European study on implementing mobile technology in practice placement. The project addresses this gap by building individualized mobile applications for students, teachers, tutors, and supervisors of each participant organization through practice-based learning, mobile technology, and technology adoption.
Objective:
To introduce mobile technology in practice placements, creating a bridge between the different actors involved learning contexts to foster the best experience in practice-based learning in healthcare settings.
Methods:
The ‘4D in the Digitalization of Learning in Practice Placement’ (4D Project) is divided into three phases: (1) preliminary research with focus groups and a scoping review will help to define the problem, detect necessities, and analyze the context; (2) researchers and prospective users will co-create apps; and (3) the apps will be tested with a feasibility study in clinical settings.
Results:
The potential impact of the study will be related to improving the communication and interaction processes, connecting actors in practice placements and the assessment of training needs.
Conclusions:
Medical education and healthcare professionals have new challenges related to clinical training. It is necessary to solve the bridge between healthcare institutions and academic settings. A new digital tool could help health students and mentors to manage the learning process.
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