Technological profile of nursing students: an essential requirement for this new era

Abstract

With this study the students of nursing are empowered to establishment the necessary understanding of the skills used in technology; helping them develop a roadmap for the effective integration of technology in the classroom. The article summarizes the findings about the means of access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their use for academic purposes performed by the students of the Nursing Department at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao. The study identifies the perception that students have of the professors and the uses that they give to technology in their courses. Methodology: Cross-sectional study, a digital questionnaire was administered to students admitted to the nursing program. Three dimensions were defined: access to services, perception of teachers to new media and information skills of students. These dimensions were set according to the literature review and indicators of the accrediting agency. Results: The findings show that students have access to mobile devices, which represent their main method of connecting to the Internet and social networks; as well as the beneficial use of these devices in the classroom. Discussion: The results establish a profile of the relationship of students with ICT and contributes to the decision-making process that allows continuing efforts to effectively integrate ICT curriculum level in the classroom.

Keywords: technologies, students, information skills, mobile devices, digital environments