Web 2.0 @ BU – Use of Wikis within the School of Health & Social Care

The aim of the Web 2.0 @ BU project is to investigate current good practice and to map the use of Web 2.0 technologies within Bournemouth University. This paper aims to communicate the findings from the School of Health & Social Care project team during the academic year 2007/2008 concerning the use of wikis in three distinct areas: Reviewing The Literature Wiki - A teaching session on reviewing the literature is included as a part of the Masters Research Unit - Principles of Enquiry Unit 1. This case study concerns using a wiki as a replacement for PowerPoint and as a separate study guide. LIMBIC Project Wiki - The aim of the LIMBIC project is to evaluate an inter-professional approach linking practice based learning with the principles and methods of healthcare improvement. This case study examines how an external project group wiki could be utilised to enable collaboration between non-technical healthcare users. Teamworking and Communication in Health and Social Care Unit Wiki - The purpose of this third year unit is to provide students with the opportunity to undertake interprofessional project work and, through this develop their skills of working collaboratively in teams and to communicate and function more effectively within their role. This case study looks at how effective small student group wikis are as a part of a long, thin unit where students sometimes find that they vary their contribution according to the time that they have. The paper hopes to share knowledge and experience of utilising wikis, enabling teachers and practitioners to be in a stronger position to respond and react to the changing demands of using innovative new learning technologies

Reconsidering your perceptions: exploring the lifeworld of a young person with type 1 diabetes

Introduction Views of young people with type 1 diabetes are vital in developing quality services, yet research on their lifestyle and use of web and mobile technology to support their condition is sparse. We aimed to develop a deeper understanding of the perspective of a young person with type 1 diabetes and construct a picture of their lifeworld. Methods Data collected by semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=9) of people with type 1 diabetes aged 18-21. Interviews were transcribed and loaded onto the qualitative data analysis tool NVivo. Results A number of themes emerged, including: • The effects of technology on living with diabetes. • Use of social media, mobile phones and Apps to obtain information and support. • Feelings about the health services they used. We also uncovered several interesting issues that concern patients in this age group: • Understanding the isolation that young people might feel at this age. • Personal attitudes to type 1 diabetes and initiating improvement. • Fear, discomfort and being seen as different. • Why we might embrace and show negative views of the condition. • Rethinking the use of Facebook. Summary We obtained a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the feelings of young people with type 1 diabetes, and the issues that are important to them. This data will be used to look at local services, producing more effective systems for support and self-management which take into account the feelings of patients and make them more likely to engage with technology

Blogging @ BU: IHCS Case Studies

This paper provides details on ten IHCS case studies using a variety of internal and external blogging tools during 2006. This addresses the first aim of the Blogging @ BU project which was helping to inform future Bournemouth University strategy regarding the use of blogs. All case study participants were either interviewed or replied to a short questionnaire during late 2006 as a checkpoint to evaluate their experience so far. The paper will discuss these experiences and focus on particular points of interest from a strategic and personal viewpoint

Does a handheld gaming device make an effective assistive technology tool?

Medical personnel need to have the ability to quickly calculate measures on drugs rounds and in other areas of their role. Students entering health and social care with poor numeracy skill levels have previously been flagged as a concern by both Institute of Health & Community Studies (IHCS) academics and also in contemporary research (Gillham and Chu, 1995). Any tool that may help to improve skill levels is therefore viewed as extremely beneficial. Potential educational uses for handheld gaming devices like the Nintendo DS Lite and Sony PlayStation Portable have become increasingly apparent with the possibilities of access to mobile devices containing software for educational improvement encompassing many different disciplines. This paper describes the evaluation of an innovative TechDis Higher Education Assistive Technology (HEAT) project investigating the use of the Nintendo DS Lite and Brain Training software package as an assistive technology tool for students from IHCS requiring help with numeracy during the autumn term of 2006. It provides an overview of using mobile devices within a higher education environment and seeks to raise awareness of some of the possibilities that can be created for students and staff

The development of an innovative mobile phone app for type 1 diabetes alcohol education

Introduction Social media is being increasingly used to try and engage young people with their healthcare issues. However, most mobile diabetes applications (Apps) do not include personalised patient education, a key facet of diabetes self-management. We sought the views and ideas of young people with type 1 diabetes to enable the design of innovative new Apps which might help to improve their quality of life. This project highlights an innovative, patient-centric approach to the development and production of a health based mobile App concerning diabetes education about alcohol. Methods Data collected by semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=9) of people with type 1 diabetes aged 18-21. Interviews were transcribed and loaded onto the qualitative data analysis tool NVivo. Baseline data analysis was undertaken to locate potential ideas for mobile App development, with suggestions chosen needing to reflect interviewee requirements and to meet clinic goals. Results Interviewees suggested that they would find a guide which could be accessed via a mobile device about alcohol limits and the effects of alcohol on their diabetes particularly useful on a night out. An App about alcohol and diabetes, ‘Start Safe, Stay Safe’, was developed with further input from young people with type 1 diabetes and clinic staff. Summary In developing a mobile App about alcohol and diabetes, we have shown how young people with type 1 diabetes can participate effectively in the design and implementation of new technology which they can then use to improve their quality of life

Why haven’t YOU thought of that? Over 15 great mobile app ideas for improving the quality of life of a young person with type 1 diabetes

Introduction The use of mobile devices to look up health-related information is of increasing importance to young people, who have a radically different view of technology than either their parents or practitioners. We explored what young people with type 1 diabetes required from social media and mobile technology by seeking their views and ideas, enabling the eventual design of innovative new tools to help them engage with health services and their own health in their preferred manner. Methods Data collected by semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=9) of people with type 1 diabetes aged 18-21. Interviews were transcribed and loaded onto the qualitative data analysis tool NVivo. Baseline data analysis was then undertaken to locate potential ideas for mobile App development. Results Over fifteen innovative new ideas for mobile Apps not currently available were suggested including: • Twitter - contacting other people with type 1 diabetes, an emergency link for contacting the health service and receiving direct messages from clinic staff which would help to personalise diabetes care. • Hypoglycaemia awareness - advice on what to do for friends, family and colleagues who might come into contact with the participant. • Illness information. • News/information on existing/new diabetes technology. Summary We have explored what young people with type 1 diabetes want from social media and mobile technology, so that the design and implementation of new technology to help self-management is more patient-centred, more likely to be used and more likely to improve quality of life

Translating research into practice: Evaluation of an e-learning resource for health care professionals to provide nutrition advice and support for cancer survivors

Background Nurses and other allied health professionals are in a key position to provide appropriate and consistent advice on nutritional issues to support cancer survivors. However gaps in their nutrition knowledge and education warrant the need for enhanced learning as part of their Continued Professional Development (CPD). In the UK there are currently no formally recognised nutrition education programmes. Therefore e-learning offers a solution to provide flexible learning to target this need. Aims This study aimed to develop and evaluate the efficacy of a freely available, internet-based learning resource, for nurses and allied health professionals who provide nutrition, diet and lifestyle advice for cancer survivors. It sought to explore the attitudes and conceptions of the resource and current knowledge base of those involved in the care pathway for cancer survivors. Method The design and development of the e-learning resource were informed by the best available research and policy evidence and in a format to facilitate on-line learning. A robust evaluation strategy incorporated focus groups and telephone interviews to gain in depth insights into the experiences of using the resource. Results Themes included ‘Plugging a Gap’ which shows an improved knowledge base for nutrition. Information was ‘All in One Place’ showing that the resource was valued as being within a ‘trusted’ organisation. ‘Everyone Benefits’ illustrates how learners felt that the resource provided them with an evidence base, whilst the ‘Current and Live’ theme captured how professionals felt about the information being up-to-date. Conclusions The project has shown the benefits of interprofessional working to develop an e-learning resource for Health Care Professionals to support cancer survivors in following healthier lifestyles. Positive attitudes and potential improvements in the knowledge base and changes for professional practice were demonstrated. Further research is required to gauge sustained impact in the work environment by embedding the resource as part of CPD

Innovative mobile technology alcohol education for young people with type 1 diabetes.

Views of young people with type 1 diabetes are vital in developing quality services and improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL), yet research on their lifestyle and use of web and mobile technology to support their condition and in non-health related areas is sparse. The aim of this research was to develop an insight into young people’s current use of web and mobile technology and its potential impact on HRQoL by constructing an in-depth picture of their day-to-day experiences, exploring how they made use of technology in their lives and in relation to their condition and treatment – then, building something to help them. Data were collected by semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews (n=9) of young people with type 1 diabetes and aged 18–21 years. Interviews were transcribed and loaded onto NVivo for theme identification. Data analysis was also undertaken during initial interviews (n=4) to locate potential ideas for technical development. Latter interviews (n=5) assisted in the iterative sociotechnical design process. Three suggestions for improvement were taken forward for prototyping with one – an alcohol education guide – being developed into a clinically approved app. This article documents the procedures and sociotechnical design principles involved in the creation of a patient-centric app. It provides an innovative example of how education with the aim of improving HRQoL can be designed in a way which meets the needs of a particular group and values and encourages their input to assist in the creative process, while at the same time conforming to clinical guidelines

Building Capacity for Social Care Research—Individual-Level and Organisational Barriers Facing Practitioners

To achieve a growth in practice-focused research, social care requires a solid infrastructure including a skilled research workforce, funding and a framework of national, strategic priorities. This article concerns practitioner researchers and developing the skills and support to enable practitioners to become active researchers within social care practice. It reports on findings from a study to develop a better understanding of the challenges of building capacity to undertake social care research in the South of England and the opportunities for building research engagement and capacity within local authorities (LAs) to include practitioner-led research. A qualitative approach was undertaken. Participants were practitioners working in LA social service departments. Participants completed an online questionnaire (n = 22), with a subsample (n = 6) interviewed. A semi-structured interview schedule collected positive and negative views of research experiences and of using research evidence. Individual-level and organisational research barriers were extracted as themes from the data and are described. The authors then discuss areas where practical ground level initiatives could be focused that might assist in developing a more positive research environment within social care organisations employing social workers and other practitioners