Development and Evaluation of a Mobile Learning Application Named “Abdella” among Nursing Students in Nigeria

Background: Mobile learning applications built without student input often overlook contextual barriers. Aim: This study developed and evaluated a mobile learning application for nursing students. Methods: A multiphase iterative mixed-methods design was employed (Qualitative, Designing, Validation, and Cluster randomised trial). The study purposively sampled 30 fourth-year students from six universities. A five-member review panel validated the application. The trial used census sampling, all fourth-year nursing students’ (n = 138,502) were enrolled into 6 university-clusters, and clusters randomly allocated into Abdella and control groups. Only completers’ (n = 117,727) data were analysed. Interview themes guided design of the Android and iOS Abdella software. The intervention group had three months' access; controls were given access after end-line quiz. Data collection was done using interviews, a structured validation questionnaire, and an online 100-item NMCN practice quiz at baseline and end-line with proctoring. Data analysis was done using thematic analysis, content validity index (CVI), chi-square tests, absolute percentage-point change, and relative risk at 95% confidence. Results: Five themes emerged. Review panel agreement was 0.96. Baseline pass rates were similar (39.8% vs. 39.4%; p = 0.101). At end-line, 78.6% of the Abdella group passed versus 54.0% of controls (RR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.44–1.47; p < 0.001). Pass rates rose in both groups but was greater in the Abdella group (Abdella +38.8%; control +14.6%). Conclusion: The Abdella application was grounded in students' needs and associated with greater improvement in pass rates than usual learning. Nurse-educators should consider integrating needs-based mobile learning applications into curricula.