Smartphones are a new technology similar to PDAs but with expanded functions and greater Internet access. This article explores the potential uses and issues surrounding the use of smartphones in nursing education. While the functions of smartphones, such as sending text messages, viewing videos, and access to the Internet, may seem purely recreational, they can be used within the nursing curriculum to engage students and reinforce learning at any time or location. Smartphones can be used for quick access to educational materials and guidelines during clinical, class, or clinical conference. Students can review instructional videos prior to performing skills and readily reach their clinical instructor via text message. Downloadable applications, subscriptions, and reference materials expand the smartphone functions even further. Common concerns about requiring smartphones in nursing education include cost, disease transmission, and equipment interference; however, there are many ways to overcome these barriers and provide students with constant access to current clinical evidence.

Background: Understanding the personal and professional motivations that shape learning needs is fundamental to high-quality continuing nursing education (CNE). This statewide survey assessed nurses’ CNE needs, learning priorities, perceived benefits and barriers, and motivation for voluntary CNE participation. Methods: An online needs assessment accessed through state professional organizations’ websites and various health care facilities was available to all registered nurses in the state. The needs assessment included demographic and professional characteristics and items related to CNE preferences and barriers. Results: Among 672 nurses, motivating factors for CNE participation varied and priority learning needs included leadership and management, evidence-based practice, and advanced practice issues. CNE program costs, travel, and time away from work were key barriers to participation. Conclusion: CNE participation is influenced by personal, professional, and organizational factors. In the absence of state mandates, policy changes are needed to promote CNE and overcome persistent barriers to participation.

Advances in technology must be integrated into curricula. The authors review the process and risks associated with adopting handheld technology and offer suggestions for integrating this technology into nursing curricula.

Although parents of premature infants experience many challenges when transitioning home from the neonatal intensive care unit, healthcare providers and social support systems tend to focus on mothers and infants rather than fathers. Unfortunately, very little is known about paternal concerns and needs as compared with maternal ones. The lack of understanding about paternal needs may lead to inadequate designs of neonatal intensive care unit family support programs with less involved fathers, all of which contribute to increased burdens on mothers and poor health outcomes for their infants. Although information technology (IT) might have the potential to increase support for the fathers of preterm infants, only a few studies have examined systematically how IT applications can be beneficial. This study aims to advance the understanding of needs and concerns of fathers with preterm infants and how fathers use the IT applications (eg, social networking Web sites) to support themselves. We observed qualitatively various social networking Web sites (ie, 29 Web sites) where fathers share their experiences about preterm infants. We discovered that fathers used various social media to discuss their concerns and, in turn, obtained informational, companionship, and emotional supports. On the basis of our analysis, we provide insights into a father-centered technology intervention design.