Pilot study to explore the use of mobile spaced learning as a digital learning platform when teaching symptom management to undergraduate nursing students: SPLENdidS study

BACKGROUND: The management of patients’ holistic symptom needs are often complex and challenging. The education needs of undergraduate nursing students must be optimally addressed to have a significant positive impact on patient care. Mobile spaced learning has been recognised as a form of online education which can provide a novel approach to delivering effective evidence based healthcare education to undergraduate students. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this pilot study was to explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students in a university setting, of using mobile spaced learning as a digital platform for symptom management education. METHOD: This pilot study used a mixed methods approach. Online spaced learning material, which utilised both case based scenarios and multiple choice questions, was delivered to first year undergraduate nursing students over a period of 2 weeks. Participants were then invited to participate in an online survey related to the usability of mobile spaced learning. A focus group was conducted to further explore the participants’ views. RESULT: Findings conveyed that students viewed mobile spaced learning as an acceptable platform that enhanced both their learning and their ability to transfer knowledge into clinical practice. CONCLUSION: Implementation of a digital spaced learning intervention would be acceptable to undergraduate nursing students learning about holistic symptom management. Further research is needed to explore the feasibility of implementing this intervention within the undergraduate nursing curriculum, and also to explore the impact on long-term knowledge retention.