Learning vein puncture using digital educational material in a Nursing Undergraduate Course

Abstract

This exploratory descriptive study aimed at assessing the performance of undergraduate students in the fourth year of the Nursing course to carry out a vein puncture technique with the support of three digital educational materials – hypertext, educatinal games, and simulations. The sample consisted of 37 students, who had studied the digital material in an IT laboratory and had carried out the procedure of peripheral vein puncture in training laboratory. Ten stages considered essential for the accomplishment of the procedure were observed, and an assessment form of the educational materials was analyzed. Thirty three (89.19%) subjects had never done vein puncture, and 27 (72.97%) correctly performed five or more stages of the procedure. As to visualizing and saving the educational materials in the computer, 12 (32.44%) and 15 (40.54%) students, respectively, said to have had some kind of difficulty. According to 91.90% of the students, the material aided their learning process, which demonstrates this learning tool can be explored and more frequently used.