2013 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Hand-held Devices and Apps for Enhancing Nursing Training in Developing Countries
| Project/Area Number |
25330375
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Research Institution | International University of Japan |
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Principal Investigator |
RAJASEKERA Jay 国際大学, 国際経営学研究科, 教授 (80235788)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
森 淑江 群馬大学, 保健学研究科, 教授 (90150846)
AUNG Zaw Zaw 国際大学, 国際経営学研究科, 助教 (70614709)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
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| Keywords | 医療 / 福祉サービス / 遠隔教育システム / 医療技術者養成教育 |
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| Research Abstract |
The research project was focused on: "Hand-held Devices and Apps for Enhancing Nursing Training in Developing Countries". The research achievements for the current first year of the project involved four main activities: 1) Field research to investigate the plausibility of the Tablet Apps for Nursing Training; 2) Research to examine what kind of Apps are available and how different they are from the proposed Apps to be developed for this research; 3) Construction of the development framework (i.e. wire-frame) of the App and developing prototype model; 4) Dissemination of research in academic conferences.
1. For field research the researchers (Rajasekera and Mori) visited two nursing/medical universities in Uganda and one university in Sri Lanka. Did a simple survey as well.
2. With the help of two research assistants, a survey was conducted to see the related Apps in two wildly used Tablet Platforms (Apple and Android). Two reports were produced, covering more than 20 Apps. But, the main finding was that many available Apps were developed for nursing care in developed countries, especially US, Europe, and to some degree Japan. Thus the need for Apps to help developing countries in nursing care are strong.
3. The wire-frame was constructed by the principle researcher (Rajasekera) and tested with several programmers. Currently progressed had made in developing a prototype; the improvements to it is continuing. Plans are there to test the prototype in the field (Sri Lanka and other selected countries).
4) Results were presented in two academic conferences in Mongolia and Myanmar.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
Field research was done to gauge the plausibility of the research by visiting two nursing/medical universities in Uganda and one university in Sri Lanka. A survey confirmed the need for the kind of tablet Apps described by the research proposal.
A survey of existing Apps reveled that they were developed for nursing care in developed countries, especially US, Europe, and to some degree Japan. Thus the need for Apps to help developing countries in nursing care are strong.
Currently two research assistants are developing a prototype App to be tested in selected developing countries to see the usefulness in rural nursing care.
During the development it turned out, it is better to separate the main research idea by developing several separate Apps to make them run efficiently.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The plan from now includes the following
1. Improving the already developed prototype (involved two research assistants)
2. Testing the prototype in the field by getting input from nursing education staff and faculty from selected developing countries (Mongolia, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Uganda)
3. Focus on related Apps that needs to ve developed seperately to make them run efficient.
4. Disseminate the research findings in academic conferences and publications.
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| Expenditure Plans for the Next FY Research Funding |
There were some issues related to research assistant's time that could be allocated to the project, because they are graduate students and they had their study commitments. Because of that small amount of money was left.
The research plan includes four main items of expenditure: 1) software development, 2) cost for hardware to install databases and tablets to test the Apps, 3) Travel for consulting collaborating partners in targetted developing countries, 4) attend conferences, if any.
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