teaching tips

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teaching tips Associate Editors: Diane M. Billings, EdD, RN, FAAN Karren Kowalski, PhD, RN, CNAA-BC, FAAN Author: Diane M. Billings, EdD, RN, FAAN

Wikis and Blogs: Consider the Possibilities for Continuing Nursing Education Abstract Wikis and blogs are software programs that promote communication and collaboration through the development of written documents. Nurse educators can use them to facilitate teaching and learning in a variety of health care settings. J Contin Educ Nurs 2009;40(12):534535

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ou’ve heard of wikis and blogs. Politicos and TV stars have them. Continuing nursing education companies, nursing organizations, and commercial sites for nurses use them. But what are they? Will they work for you? Wikis A wiki is a written document produced by collaborative writing (think Wikipedia) (Grassley & Bartoletti, 2009; Kardong-Edgren et al., 2009). A wiki can be less than one page, or as much as an entire book. Wikis work well because they engage users, create collaborative learning environments, and simplify work by allowing many individuals to contribute to the effort at one time. They are particularly advantageous for organizations in which members The author discloses that she has no significant financial interests in any product or class of products discussed directly or indirectly in this activity, including research support. doi:10.3928/00220124-20091119-10

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Sidebar 1

Uses for Wikis Develop an evidence-based protocol—all members of the committee can contribute an assignment and collate the responses Host a journal club and generate a summary report of the literature Hold “grand rounds” and share clinical examples from which others can learn Write a report, with each person contributing a part of the report Write a manual, with each person contributing procedures, protocols, and handouts Write a paper for publication, with each person adding to the work and editing the entire manuscript in the moment Write an orientation manual, with all departments contributing key information Implement a multisite research protocol and share study protocols and instruments Develop a continuing education course, including syllabus, course documents, learning activities, and evaluation Develop information for students and faculty from affiliated schools of nursing Create a wiki for patients with specific health problems; have clinical nurse specialists contribute in their area of expertise, and encourage patients to contribute health care tips

are working on different shifts, in different units, or even at different locations. Wikis are organized by software that makes it possible for users to add to the written document and edit pages. Nurses may have access to wiki development software as a part of a learning management system, or may be able to access wikis through free software found by conducting an Internet search. Wikis can be password protected, allowing only invited users to participate. Photographs, figures, and audio and video clips can be linked to wikis. Before deciding to use wikis in your work, do be aware that unless someone serves as “monitor,” the content posted can get off topic or inaccurate information can be contributed. Also, if wikis are used to

discuss sensitive material, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines should be observed. Sidebar 1 lists some possibilities to jump start your thinking about how wikis could work in your setting. Blogs A blog (web log) is another form of an unfolding written document, with entries posted by members of the blogging group (Grassley & Bartoletti, 2009). The entries are posted sequentially, with the most recent post appearing first on the list. Unlike wikis, blogs cannot be edited or rearranged. Blogs can be created for internal use and can be password protected; media files can be linked to blogs. Blogs can be used within a health

The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing · December 2009 · Vol 40, No 12

care organization to facilitate interdisciplinary focus groups, quickly solicit opinions of stakeholders, diffuse anxiety about change, and solicit opinions across the organization. Several for-profit nursing continuing education companies use blogs to accompany specific content that is provided to the clinical agency that uses the service. Nursing organizations use blogs to engage their members, and individual nurses can host a blog site and discuss topics of interest. Sidebar 2 lists examples of blogs related to nursing education. Specific blogging software is used to organize topics and conversation threads. This software may be a tool that is a part of a learning management system or can be acquired through vendors at no or low cost. When considering creating or participating in a blog, nurse educators should be sure they understand the purpose of the blog, who the owner of the blog is, and whether posts will be public or private. Commercial sites are supported by advertisements, which may be intrusive or may detract from the professional nature of the blog. Sidebar 3 lists uses of blogs in continuing nursing education. Summary Wikis and blogs are another way to facilitate internal and external communication and dialogue among nurses and nurse educators. When

Sidebar 2

Nursing Education Blogs http://nursingeducator.blogspot.com—This blog is managed by a nurse educator and focuses on tips about using technology in nursing education. http://pneg.info/about—This is the Professional Nurse Educators Group blog site. You need to register with the administrator. www.thenursingschool.com/blog—This blog discusses topics of interest to students and schools of nursing. It is a commercial site. http://arnp.blogspot.com—Commercial blog site for nurse practitioners.

Sidebar 3

Uses of Blogs Have newly employed nursing personnel write a blog (journal) about clinical experiences as a strategy to develop reflective practice Ask nurses to report implementation issues when a new procedure, piece of equipment, or system is being introduced so the issues can be reported quickly throughout the agency and remedies can be sought without waiting for lengthy reports and data collection Obtain opinions about a proposed change Allow preceptors to give feedback to nurses with whom they are working Provide social support in a clinical specialty Learn about national trends and new approaches to patient care

used in clinical agencies, they can promote interdisciplinary collaboration, simplify project development, provide peer support, and link users to information provided by national health care organizations. Although wikis and blogs may be embedded in software to promote communication within a school or health care agency, they can also be created using software located on external websites that can be accessed through the Internet or a smartphone with Internet access. These communication tools are easy to learn and manage

The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing · December 2009 · Vol 40, No 12

and offer opportunities for nurses to continue to learn and develop competence. References Grassley, J. S., & Bartoletti, R. (2009). Wikis and blogs: Tools for online interaction. Nurse Educator, 34(5), 209-213. Kardong-Edgren, S. E., Oermann, M., Yeongmi, H., Tennant, M., Snelson, C., Halmark, E., et al. (2009). Using a wiki in nursing education and research. International Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 6(1). Retrieved November 1, 2009, from www. bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article= 1787&context=ijnes

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