Medical Device Safety-an E-Guide for Nursing Students

Abstract

Modern healthcare relies heavily on medical device safety because technological developments have expanded the use of complex devices in both clinical and home care environments. Future healthcare practitioners should be equipped with essential operational skills and an understanding of medical devices before they can handle them safely and effectively. However, Nursing education today faces limitations in learning resources for providing adequate preparation to students regarding the practical application challenges of medical devices. This thesis addresses this gap in theoretical instruction and hands-on application.

The purpose of this thesis is to produce an e-Guide for nursing students regarding medical device safety. The aim is to enhance, support, and develop the skills and knowledge of nursing students regarding medical device safety in operating automatic blood pressure monitors, home oxygen therapy units, and pacemakers. The e-Guide was developed through collaborative development work between Laurea University of Applied Sciences using a learning-by-development approach (LbD) that emphasizes iterative feedback and real-world application. The e-Guide was designed using the PowerPoint design tool to offer engaging and iterative features.

The evaluation results confirmed that the e-Guide functioned as beneficial learning material. Of the21participants, 82% reported that the e-Guide content was informative, with detailed content and a user-friendly structure, and another 60% noted that their understanding of medical device safety protocols improved. The researchers believe the e-Guide will be accessible and provide practical information for nursing students at Laurea UAS to enhance their competence in safe medical device operation.