HERS Cardiac Rehab - Kastello

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About This Article

This article describes how mobile computing, specifically tablets, was piloted in Prof. Gary Kastello's HERS Cardiac Rehab Lab to transform teaching and learning.

Intended Audience

WSU instructors interested in past faculty experience with tablet devices in the classroom.

Spring and Fall 2013 Microsoft Surface Pilot

Students in this course had access to Microsoft Surface tablets and the MicroFit software throughout the school year.

How the Microsoft Surfaces are Used in Cardiac Rehab

In the past, the Cardiac Rehab Lab had a single desktop computer outside of the lab for data entry. Students recorded patient vitals and data on clipboards and later transposed these data into the MicroFit software on the desktop.

During this pilot, four Microsoft Surface tablets running MicroFit were introduced into the Cardiac Rehab Lab. These mobile devices allow the students to enter the patient data in real time, produce graphs, and present progress immediately to the patient.

Dr. Kastello's objectives for this pilot included:

  • More immediate data entry. The turnaround time between data collection and data entry was too long. Having Surfaces in the lab for data entry means less time waiting in line at the desktop computer and transcribing hand-written data into MicroFit.
  • Faster feedback to the patients. Because data is entered immediately, the tablets can be utilized to show progress in numeric or graphical presentations.

Outcomes

Changes in the classroom

  • The size, weight, and mobile nature of the Surfaces allowed for use in the lab. The students liked using the devices and saw the benefit of immediate access.
  • Data was entered as it was collected rather than being written down and transcribed later. Fewer mistakes, less lost data, and time savings were all direct results of the tablets in the lab.

Recommendations

  • Steps should be taken to increase the use of and reliance upon the tablets. Moving from the current use of entering patient data at the start and end of the term, Dr. Kastello would like to see daily entry and additional immediate feedback to the patient. This immediate feedback would help the patient more easily track progress.
  • Further leverage the Surfaces by adding case studies to the device. In the event that a patient does not make it to the scheduled appointment, the student could use a case study on the Surface as a practice/learning session during the scheduled lab time.

Applications Employed in Cardiac Rehab

Professor Kastello used the following applications in his pilot:

  • MicroFit

Descriptions, pricing information, and links to additional information for each of these applications is available on the Microsoft Surface Pilot Applications page.

More Information

Related Wiki Topics


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