The use of computer assisted technology to enhance student psychiatric nurses learning during a practice placement

Abstract

Despite the available literature that identifies the value of integrating computer-assisted learning into the curriculum, psychiatric nurse education lags behind in this area of curriculum development. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot project involving the use of a computer assisted learning (CAL) interactive multimedia (IMM) package called ‘Admissions,’ as a self-directed learning tool with two-second year psychiatric nursing students. The students were on a practice placement in an Irish mental health service. The aim of using the multimedia resource was to augment the students’ learning during their practice placement and enable them to re-examine the issue of psychosis from a multiplicity of perspectives. This paper provides a brief description of the interactive multimedia package, together with a discussion on the support offered to the students during its use. Steinaker and Bell’s (1979) experiential taxonomy is used as a framework to guide the discussion on the learning and evaluation process used. Feedback from the students suggests that the CAL package is easy to use, informative and promoted independence and self-directed study.