RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The utilization of smartphone applications in educational settings, specifically in the field of nursing, has grown increasingly popular. To date, there have been few, if any, smartphone applications dedicated specifically to the teaching of vital signs. The Clinic Vitals app was designed to be an acceptable substitute for in-person vital signs instruction. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to show the utility of the Clinic Vitals app as a pedagogical tool in comparison to in-person nursing educational instruction. DESIGN: A crossover design was employed within collegiate nursing educational sessions to determine if Clinic Vitals was an equivalent alternative to traditional vital sign teaching methods. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were first-year nursing students from six different lab sessions within the same undergraduate university. METHODS: Students with little to no vital sign experience were given instruction via the Clinic Vitals mobile application or traditional learning. After the learning session, students were given skills assessments. After one week, students were given the opposite method of instruction followed by skills assessments. RESULTS: Results showed that no significant difference was found between the two groups based on skills assessments. Mobile application and in-person instruction teaching methods produced a similar level of competency in students learning to take vital signs. CONCLUSIONS: The utility of being able to access the application's videos and instructional articles at any time and anywhere that there is an internet connection would make the app particularly useful. The present study provides evidence that the Clinic Vitals mobile application can be a reliable substitute for in-person vital signs instruction. Recent educational advances have demonstrated that online videos, simulations, and mobile applications can be effective resources for nursing educators. There is potential for further study of the uses of educational mobile applications, including Clinic Vitals, for nursing education.