If your school or program is considering bringing a mobile program into its curriculum, you may need an academic policy to keep everything in check. Below is a general outline you can adapt to develop your own. It is a sample, so check it against your institution’s requirements and your clinical partners’ rules.
I. Classroom usage
No electronics are allowed during exams. Students may not be able to see, hear or feel these devices during exams. If faculty allow a calculator on an exam, the school will provide it. Students with accommodations requiring a special device must have documented approval from the dean’s office.
II. Clinical usage
- Smart devices are to be used in clinical areas, and for lab activities and classroom exercises, as directed by faculty. Use of portable electronic devices in clinical settings is regulated by the clinical agencies and by local, state and federal regulations and laws. Students are fully responsible for following HIPAA when using their smart devices in clinical or other settings.
- Protected health information (PHI) must be removed from any patient data students collect on their smart devices. Students will use a password to protect access to information on their devices. Infection control precautions must be maintained when using smart devices in patient care areas. Students must meet professional standards for all communication, including confidentiality, proper conduct and appropriate material.
- Smart device telephone and camera functions must be turned off during clinical and lab sessions by placing devices in airplane mode. Students are fully responsible for following all regulations at all times, whether at school, at clinical, on break or anywhere else. This includes proper handling of confidential client information.
- Except for specified course activities, sending or receiving text or other messages during class, clinical or lab is not permitted.
- Using the internet for personal, non-school functions is strictly prohibited. Inappropriate smart device use or a HIPAA violation is cause for dismissal from the School of Nursing.
- Students will sign the medical center’s electronic compliance form (Authorization to Capture/Use PHI on Portable Devices) before entering any clinical setting at any facility: annually for all courses and quarterly for Fundamentals. The form will be placed in each student’s file.
III. Using airplane mode (iPhone)
- Go to Settings.
- Turn Airplane Mode on.
- Turn Wi-Fi on.
- You will not receive phone calls or text messages, but you will still be able to use online clinical applications.
- If students need to give family members a contact number, give the facility number provided in the syllabus.
IV. Safeguarding of data
The student will implement protective measures, such as encryption, for restricted data to safeguard its confidentiality and integrity in the event of theft or loss. The student will never leave the device unattended during use in the clinical setting, and will use strong passwords and commercially available encryption. The student will ensure all PHI is properly destroyed on the device immediately after its intended use. If the device is lost or stolen, it will be reported immediately to the appropriate personnel or security.
V. Handheld device hygiene
- Wash hands before using a handheld device.
- Avoid using the device with contaminated gloves; plan ahead for procedures.
- Wipe down the device using only solutions recommended by the manufacturer.
- Avoid areas that can contaminate the device, such as bedside tables or the patient’s bed.
- Avoid taking the device into isolation rooms where possible. Help minimize transmission by placing it in a sealed lab specimen bag or leaving it with the instructor outside the room.
- Think before using it in a clinical setting. Remember the device will go home and be used with family and friends.