Major
Nursing
Minor(s)
Global Health
Advisor
Hillier, Maureen
Advisor Department
Nursing, College of
Advisor
Hames, Carolyn
Advisor Department
Nursing, College of
Date
12-2017
Keywords
nursing; pediatric nursing; technology; healthcare education; nursing education
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Abstract
In contemporary times, the dissemination of knowledge across specialties has become convenient through the use of computer technology and the internet. Technology has been integrated into educational systems worldwide and has become invaluable in the advancement of healthcare. Nursing practice and education has utilized modern technology as a resource for continuing education such as through the use of online RN-BSN programs and sharing improvements in healthcare practice. A great part of a nursing student’s education is understanding the importance of a nurse’s professional commitment to lifelong learning by utilizing critical thinking skills to support evidence-based practice to improve standards of care. An internet based knowledge-sharing platform for healthcare providers engages practitioners internationally. OPENPediatrics ( https://www.openpediatrics.org/ )is an online community specifically for clinicians to share best practices from a variety of resource settings around the world. Its mission is to “use technology to promote worldwide sharing and exchange of knowledge about the care of sick children” through the support of the clinicians at Boston Children’s Hospital.
The purpose of this project was to chronicle the professional experience of bridging nursing practice and a technology learning platform, OPENPediatrics. This project expanded upon a present patient quality care improvement project of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit called “NICU to Nursery” to facilitate caregivers and families with infant discharge to home. The “NICU to Nursery” project aims to improve family satisfaction post-discharge and improve infant outcomes during the transition of continuous 24-hour care to home. The work of this project focused on the integration of an online learning resource designated for community providers caring for the infants after discharge through the creation of learning modules that could be accessed through OPENPediatrics. My role in this project was to collaborate with NICU nursing staff and the OPENPediatrics team in the development of online learning modules to highlight priorities of care for infants with gastrostomy and tracheostomy tubes. The ability to collaborate provided insight for bedside nurses to demonstrate their knowledge beyond the clinical setting. OPENPediatrics showcases the integration of nursing practice to disseminate nursing knowledge throughout the world.