Cover Story


training tips to avoid the new technology blues


By Ashley Petry Mannequins that cry, blogs updated by the hour, computer programs


with newer versions every few months — how is anyone supposed to keep up?


As technology plays an increasingly important role in nursing education and practice, nurses need more guidance on using these options. Here, three nurses with tech expertise share their (not-so-secret) training secrets.


■ 1. Make friends with the IT department. When Betsy Weiner, PhD, RN-BC, FACMI, FAAN, trains nursing faculty to use the virtual Second Life program, she makes sure the tech gurus are right there with the newbies in the online world. “The key to this being successful is that we have strong technical-support people who can be online at the same time and talk them through if they’re having trouble,” she said. “They can say, ‘I see your avatar is stuck in a corner. Try hitting this key.’” Some technical hand-holding at the beginning gets users over initial qualms.


Indiana University School of Nursing students develop their skills on the SimMan 3-G. SimMan’s body functions can be monitored and adjusted from a separate room in the SimLab in the Resource Center for Innovation in Clinical Nursing Education.


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■ 2. Find a mentor. In many organizations, a few people become “first adopters” of new technology and spread their knowledge to the rest of the group. “For me to say, ‘Everybody has to use X technology’ — that’s not going to happen,” said Barbara Ihrke, PhD, RN, dean of the Indiana Wesleyan University School of Nursing. “But if their peers say, ‘Look at


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With our program model, we focus on our centers of excellence and can offer you opportunities to work with other clinical experts and newly emerging information, technology and treatments. We invite you to join our team of healthcare professionals as we assist our patients in achieving their highest potential.


12 Indiana Nursing Quarterly • indystar.com/nursing • Spring 2011


KELLY WILKINSON / The Star


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