NURS3020 Essay: Technology, Apps and Nursing Practice

This essay explores the application of technology, particularly mobile health (mHealth) apps, in nursing practice, focusing on patient education. It addresses a scenario where a graduate registered nurse is asked by a patient to recommend an app to learn about their medical condition. The essay reviews literature to identify best practices for informing patients about educational materials, emphasizing the importance of app evaluation, effective communication, and providing appropriate app-related advice. It highlights the need for graduate nurses to develop skills in assessing app efficacy and user-friendliness, as well as understanding barriers to patient engagement with mHealth. The discussion covers strategies for app selection, communication techniques, and the importance of integrating technology with physical care to improve patient experience. The essay also touches upon the challenges of unfamiliarity with apps among healthcare professionals and the significance of professional development for nurses to guide patients effectively. The essay concludes by emphasizing the role of digital health engagement models and the need for ongoing education to ensure responsible and effective use of technology in patient care. This essay provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with integrating technology into modern nursing practice, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based decision-making and effective communication to improve patient outcomes.

Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

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Registered nurses (RNs) have a vital role in the application of modern technologies
for advancement of nursing. These technology supports nurse to improve documentation,
assessment and implementation of nursing care process. Newly placed graduate RNS face
several professional challenges during transition to the role of a registered nurse in clinical
practice (Mann, Medves & Vandenkerkhof, 2015). This essay looks at the situation where a
graduate registered nurse has been asked by a patient to recommend an ‘app’ for them to
learn about their medical condition. The essay discussed about the best practice evidence
through technology to better inform patients about appropriate education materials. The
review of the literature will be done to identify best approach to inform patient about
educational materials and provide synthesis of literature to inform patient about technology or
apps to learn more about diseases.
In order to understand the best way to teach patient about appropriate education
materials for medical condition, it is necessary to consider what types of apps exist in the
nursing context to educate patient. Apps are software programs that perform complex
functions and have played a role in the development of numerous mobile device apps both for
professional and personal use (Ozdalga, Ozdalga & Ahuja, 2012). As mobile device has now
become common in health care settings, numerous software applications (apps) assist health
care professionals in important tasks like information management, health record
maintenance, patient management and medical education (Ventola, 2014). Hence, the main
purpose of literature review is to identify best practice evidence to inform patients about
educational materials. One major motivation behind the use of mobile devices at the point of
care is need for better communication and information resources. It is an important source for
increasing communication capabilities, improving hospital information system, upgrading
informational resources related to patient education and disease diagnosis aids.

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The initial strategy needed by RN is to first identify and evaluate available apps and
then carefully assess them to conform whether they are user friendly and appropriate for the
diagnosed disease or not. The article by Boudreaux et al. (2014) mentions seven strategies to
evaluate and select health related apps. It provides a practical guide for health care providers
to select effective apps targeting health maintenance of patients. The seven steps suggested in
the literature includes the strategy of reviewing the scientific literature, search for app
clearing house websites, searching app stores, reviewing app descriptions and ratings,
conducting social media query, piloting the app and eliciting feedback from patients.
Reviewing scientific literature can help to identify whether app for a particular disease or
health behaviour is evidence based or not. However, the challenge associated with this step is
lack of published literature on health apps (Han & Lee, 2018). Because of this limitation, the
second step of searching app clearinghouse website is important as these app clearinghouses
provide help regarding app selection, usability and accuracy of the content. In addition,
review of user ratings can provide information regarding longevity and popularity of the app.
This will determine patient’s comfort level in using the app. Social media query provides the
opportunity to elicit feedback about the app from colleague and other social network. The
strength of this evidence is that that each steps covers limitations of the other steps. However,
despite this, some of the strategies may be impractical for nurses to use because they can be
time consuming (Boudreaux et al., 2014). Hence, it is recommended to use the strategy as a
menu rather than a stepwise approach to select appropriate apps for students.
The second strategy necessary to engage in evidence based information sharing
related to appropriate apps for guidance on disease for patient includes the use of effective
communication strategies. Mobile health (mHealth) is cited for improved self management in
patients with chronic disease and factors like automated text reminders, frequent symptom
monitoring and improved communication are the advantages associated use of mHealth for

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people with chronic disease conditions (Lee et al., 2018). Ho (2013) explains use of effective
communications skills to aid patients in careful selection of mobile health apps. This is
important because an app may mislead the user or they may engage in using the app too
ambitious. Hence, to balance and promote effective use of the app, effective communication
skill is important to share the right information to patient about mhealth app. Effective
communication is particularly essential for patient with low health literacy (Kim & Xie,
2015). If nurses or health staffs respond with indifference when patient ask them about self
management, this can make patients dispirited (Ho, 2013). Hence, communication skill is
crucial to empower patient to adapt and persist with positive health related changes.
Effective app related advice is the third critical strategy to ensure that health
professionals can guide patient to use app appropriately. The suggestions that can work for
health consumers include encouraging them to pay active interest in their own health and
guiding them regarding searching for valid and user friendly health apps. This involves
giving instruction regarding the way to search and download the health apps followed by
giving teachings regarding ways to assess popularity of the app. They must also be informed
to collaborate with nurse to always ensure that the app used is safe (Ho, 2013). Nurses should
ensure integrating physical care with effective use of mhealth app. This will ensure
improving patient experience. Lu et al. (2018) supports the same benefits with the use of
mobile health apps. It provides patient with easy and quick access to health information,
ensures transparency during disease management and improving patient’s engagement in
their self care. One of the major limitations found among health care professional is that they
rarely suggest patients to use app because of unfamiliarity of app. Hence, to promote
professional development of RNs, it is recommended to provide graduate nurse training
regarding efficacious apps that can guide patient and improve care experiences. They must
have the skills to judge the user friendliness of the app. For example, many patient prefer

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apps that allows for video chats with providers. As this may lead to patient satisfaction,
connectivity features may increase (VonHoltz et al., 2015).
The significance of validating apps for patient education is that it can help match the
information according to patient’s basic language and understanding. If any app is
recommended without considering the validity or accuracy of the content, it may lead to
serious consequences for patient. The safety issues associated with recommending apps
without validating its content is understood from the following example. West (2012)
revealed a mobile app that provided diagnostic recommendations for suspected melanoma.
However, on evaluation, this app was found to have low sensitivity. Therefore, if patient
relied on these symptoms, it can lead to delay in diagnosis and treatment which can be
detrimental to student. Hence, this example shows why graduate nurse must emphasize on
analyzing apps before recommending it to patient. This evidence gives the implication that
graduate RNs must use this evidence as a guide to understand how to assess the efficacy of
apps before recommending it to patient. This form of knowledge and training can help nurse
to move mHealth into mainstream health care and change the landscape of health intervention
delivery system (Kim & Xie, 2015).
In addition, the importance of effective communication with patient regarding
effective selection and use of apps is that it can reduce the disadvantage associated with
abundance use of health apps. The evidence regarding the impact of communication on
mobile based app indicated that such form of apps can motivate patients to be responsible
towards their own care and engage in effective implementation too (Ho, 2013). To support
new graduate nurse to effectively share information related to mHealth during transition to
nursing care, it will be necessary to develop their understanding regarding factors that affects
patient’s ability to engage with the app. Four main barrier faced by patient in engaging with
mHealth app includes poor awareness about technology, lack of motivation to engage with

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app for improving health and privacy concerns. Hence, it is recommended that nurses be
trained regarding these factors so that they always inquire patient about use of any health
apps during the end of a clinical encounter and understand barriers in its use. In this way,
they can share information regarding the utility or value of the app for their health
management. Digital health engagement model can be used as a checklist to promote
healthcare staffs as well as patient in engaging with apps to effective manage disease
conditions (O’Connor et al., 2016).
From the above discussion, it is now apparent that numerous types of apps exist for
disease condition and unless proper guidance is given to patient regarding the efficacy and
accuracy of these apps, it can lead to misuse or poor self management for patient. Hence, to
ensure a balance and make sure that neither patient are impulsive nor too much dependent on
app, graduate RNs must ensure that they take continued professional education in this area.
This will help them to engage in careful selection of apps, then inquire patients about app that
they prefer and then give feedback regarding the efficacy and utility of the app in helping
patients to use the app information for positive behavioural change.

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References:
Boudreaux, E. D., Waring, M. E., Hayes, R. B., Sadasivam, R. S., Mullen, S., & Pagoto, S.
(2014). Evaluating and selecting mobile health apps: strategies for healthcare
providers and healthcare organizations. Translational behavioral medicine, 4(4), 363–
371. doi:10.1007/s13142-014-0293-9
Han, M., & Lee, E. (2018). Effectiveness of Mobile Health Application Use to Improve
Health Behavior Changes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled
Trials. Healthcare informatics research, 24(3), 207–226.
doi:10.4258/hir.2018.24.3.207
Ho, K. (2013). Health-e-Apps: A project to encourage effective use of mobile health
applications. BC medical journal, 55(10), 458-460.
Kim, H., & Xie, B. (2015). Health literacy and internet‐and mobile app‐based health services:
A systematic review of the literature. Proceedings of the Association for Information
Science and Technology, 52(1), 1-4.
Kim, H., & Xie, B. (2015). Health literacy and internet‐and mobile app‐based health services:
A systematic review of the literature. Proceedings of the Association for Information
Science and Technology, 52(1), 1-4.
Lee, J. A., Choi, M., Lee, S. A., & Jiang, N. (2018). Effective behavioral intervention
strategies using mobile health applications for chronic disease management: a
systematic review. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 18(1), 12.
doi:10.1186/s12911-018-0591-0
Lu, C., Hu, Y., Xie, J., Fu, Q., Leigh, I., Governor, S., & Wang, G. (2018). The Use of
Mobile Health Applications to Improve Patient Experience: Cross-Sectional Study in

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Chinese Public Hospitals. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(5), e126.
doi:10.2196/mhealth.9145
Mann, E. G., Medves, J., & Vandenkerkhof, E. G. (2015). Accessing best practice resources
using mobile technology in an undergraduate nursing program: a feasibility
study. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 33(3), 122-128.
O’Connor, S., Hanlon, P., O’Donnell, C. A., Garcia, S., Glanville, J., & Mair, F. S. (2016).
Understanding factors affecting patient and public engagement and recruitment to
digital health interventions: a systematic review of qualitative studies. BMC medical
informatics and decision making, 16(1), 120.
Ozdalga, E., Ozdalga, A., & Ahuja, N. (2012). The smartphone in medicine: a review of
current and potential use among physicians and students. Journal of medical Internet
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Ventola C. L. (2014). Mobile devices and apps for health care professionals: uses and
benefits. P & T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management, 39(5), 356–364.
VonHoltz, L. A., Hypolite, K. A., Carr, B. G., Shofer, F. S., Winston, F. K., Hanson, C. W.,
3rd, & Merchant, R. M. (2015). Use of mobile apps: a patient-centered
approach. Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for
Academic Emergency Medicine, 22(6), 765–768. doi:10.1111/acem.12675
West, D. (2012). How mobile devices are transforming healthcare. Issues in technology
innovation, 18(1), 1-11.

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