Efficacy of Mobile Learning to Train Cardiac Arrhythmia Interpretation in Critical Care Nurses

Aim: Interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias in detecting cardiac disorders and diseases is crucial. The immediate interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias is one of the most important clinical skills of medical and nursing staff. With the increasing use of training based on modern techniques in medical education, this study was performed to design and evaluate the efficacy of cardiac arrhythmias simulator application on critical care nurses’ learning and satisfaction in comparison with the booklet. Design: This quasi-experimental study with a control group was carried out in 2018 on 80 critical care nurses that were allocated in two groups. Methods: The interventions involved mobile learning via a researchers-designed application and learning via a booklet on the interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias. Four weeks following the interventions, both groups were evaluated and the results from both groups were compared and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics (independent sample t-test, paired sample t-test, and ANCOVA). Results: The research results revealed that the mean knowledge and skill scores of the participants by are searcher made questioner in the mobile learning and booklet groups, before intervention were 17.6 4.565 and 19.00 4.630 (P-value=0.201), and after intervention were 21.33 2.693 and 19.27 4.596 (P-value=0.018), respectively. The statistical analyses also revealed that the mean post-intervention learning scores of the mobile learning group were significantly higher than the mean pre-intervention learning scores of this group (P-value<0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between the pre and post-intervention scores of the booklet group (P-value=0.249). Besides, the mean satisfaction of the critical care nurses participating in this research with the arrhythmia simulator mobile application was approximately 85.72% and their satisfaction with the booklet was 78.05%, reflecting the acceptable level of satisfaction. Conclusions: in this study researchers designed and developed an arrhythmia simulator mobile application and a booklet on the interpretation of cardiac arrhythmias according to the predetermined principles, instructional design, and learning goals. The research results revealed that mobile learning in this field leads to more efficiency, positive impact, and more satisfaction rather than learning via booklet. Hence, Mobile learning can be considered as an appropriate educational strategy to train cardiac arrhythmia interpretation skills in health care providers and learners.