A Northern Territory developed virtual hospital tool that allows student nurses to care for patients from admission to discharge has been showcased at an international conference in Germany.
Charles Darwin University nursing academics Julie Hercelinskyj and Beryl McEwan presented a paper on the CDU vHospital at the 6th International Conference on Technology, Knowledge and Society at the Free University, Berlin, Germany.
The CDU vHospital concept creates on-line learning environments that allow students to care for patients admitted to the virtual hospital and is used in CDU’s Bachelor of Nursing program.
The vHospital concept allows students to manage patients from admission through to discharge and replicates the challenges of nursing in Australian hospitals.
Ms Hercelinskyj said delegates were keen to hear about the use of technology in training.
“We showcased the process in developing a case that follows an Indigenous patient with Type 2 diabetes, who has been transferred from his remote community and we discussed how this case is used to facilitate students’ learning of important nursing concepts,” she said.
The conference attracted academics and professionals from a broad range of disciplines including health, education, business, information technology and creative arts.
Conference themes included technology in education, technology in community, human technologies and usability, and knowledge and technology.