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Participation in curricular change and teacher professional development can be challenging for honorary clinical teachers, who juggle teaching alongside busy clinical practice. Following redevelopm...

University policies prohibiting use of mobile devices by medical students during clinical placements are contradicted by regular use by physicians. Consequently, many students use their mobile devices, which can be beneficial for learning but may put patient privacy at risk. This study explores the reasons underlying students' decisions about using mobile devices in clinical settings. We used a mixed‐methods sequential explanatory design involving a questionnaire and focus groups. Qualitative data from the questionnaire and focus groups was analysed through thematic analysis. We found students were aware of the risks mobile devices posed to professionalism and medical practice. Despite prohibitions, many made individual decisions to use mobile devices because the benefits outweighed the risks. These students were influenced by an organised, strategic approach to learning and a motivation to comply with the beliefs and behaviours of their medical teams and conform to physicians' directives in order to participate in their community of practice. Many students appear to be transferring everyday use of mobile devices to clinical settings. There is a need to understand and promote aspects of learning that are enhanced by mobile devices in clinical settings, while articulating clear guidelines and boundaries compatible with the professional behaviour expected of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mobile device use has become almost ubiquitous in daily life and therefore includes use by doctors in clinical settings. There has been little study as to the patterns of use and impact this has on doctors in the workplace and how negatively or positively it impacts at the point of care. Aim To explore how doctors use mobile devices in the clinical setting and understand drivers for use. Methods A mixed methods study was used with doctors in a paediatric and adult teaching hospital in 2013. A paper-based survey examined mobile device usage data by doctors in the clinical setting. Focus groups explored doctors' reasons for using or refraining from using mobile devices in the clinical setting, and their attitudes about others' use. Results The survey, completed by 109 doctors, showed that 91% owned a smartphone and 88% used their mobile devices frequently in the clinical setting. Trainees were more likely than consultants to use their mobile devices for learning and accessing information related to patient care, as well as for personal communication unrelated to work. Focus group data highlighted a range of factors that influenced doctors to use personal mobile devices in the clinical setting, including convenience for medical photography, and factors that limited use. Distraction in the clinical setting due to use of mobile devices was a key issue. Personal experience and confidence in using mobile devices affected their use, and was guided by role modelling and expectations within a medical team. Conclusion Doctors use mobile devices to enhance efficiency in the workplace. In the current environment, doctors are making their own decisions based on balancing the risks and benefits of using mobile devices in the clinical setting. There is a need for guidelines around acceptable and ethical use that is patient-centred and that respects patient privacy.

Mobile devices are ubiquitous worldwide, including in hospitals. 'Just in time' learning provided by these devices is important for students. We investigated current use of, and learning with, smartphones and other mobile devices by medical students in Parisian hospitals. A survey with quantitative and qualitative items previously used with students from an Australian medical school was translated to French and adapted. The voluntary survey was delivered online to Universite Paris Descartes students. A total 854 medical students from across the final 5 years of the program completed the survey. The mean age was 22 years and 90% identified as French, matching the demographic pattern of the student body. Of 976 devices used by these students, 43% were iPhones and 32% another smartphone. Students accessed the Internet regularly or often, more for medically relevant than unrelated information-49% versus 16.5%. Almost half of respondents reported never accessing social media during clinical placements. Students agreed they used mobile devices for improving learning, knowledge and skills, but less for timetabling and communication. Reactions of supervisors, patients and families were concerning. Only 3.3% of respondents did not use a mobile device in clinical settings. These findings have implications for Francophone and all health professional schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted with medical students, physicians, patients and carers in a paediatric and an adult hospital to determine use of mobile devices for learning, and beliefs and attitudes about others' use. Awareness of ethical, patient privacy and data security concerns was explored. The research was conducted using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design through survey and focus groups for students and physicians, and a separate survey for patients and carers. Each arm of the study was analysed individually, followed by integration of quantitative and qualitative data, which are the subject of this paper. Interpretation of the integrated student and physician quantitative data highlighted that both groups used mobile devices for information verification, organisation and communication, and these represented the best uses of mobile devices; the worst aspects of mobile devices involved Internet access difficulties. Interpretation of the integrated student and physician qualitative data highlighted that students and physicians made individual decisions about their use of mobile devices, despite some existing policies. Integration of all data from all arms of the study identified the benefits of using mobile devices and concerns about distraction. For many students and physicians, the benefits of using mobile devices for learning at the patient bedside outweigh the possible risks. As society grapples with norms governing appropriate use of mobile devices, many are devising their own rules to aid learning in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]