This presentation has only 1 session:

• Friday June 06, 11:00 MST in room SC 206 B

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• ttix2008_222.mov

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Text Messaging: An Innovative Educational Method
Home visitation has proven effective in some cases, but continues to have limitations. Child-bearing women and single, young mothers, who are often recipients of this visitation continue to need education to increase compliance and follow-up; which ultimately relates to the well-being of both the mother and child. Due to the increase in limitations with home visiting, the use of texting with cell phone technology may be utilized in addition to continued medical care to enhance the education of a mother for herself and her child. The use of this technology is perceived as a more familiar concept with today’s population. This form of communication through texting may be used as a mechanism for monitoring compliance and providing education to high-risk pregnant teens. With more frequent periods of contact that enable communication in variable settings; the outcomes of women and their children may be improved.
The presentation will review the current trends in home visitation and how current needs are not being met specifically to the high-risk parenting teen group. Because of researched teen preferences and receptivity to this form of communication, text messaging serves as an effective method of communication for education. Current trends and uses of text messaging for medical education will be discussed, as well as the benefits of text messaging for convenience, multi-tasking and confidentiality.
This method is a practical applicaiton for implemenation in education. A current Mediamark Research study (2006) showed cell-phone only households now outnumber land-line only households. This same study also reported 86.2% of people now have at least one cell phone. Young consumers, paticularly those who live on their own now dominate the cell-phone only population. It appears a great percentage of the population now has access and utilizes this form of communication, thus this form of communication for education is presumptively feasible.
This content directly relates to the conference theme of technology enhanced education. By providing education through this method we may be able to reach more individuals and more individuals may be receptive to this form of education.
Information for this research paper and eventual study was taken from several cellular phone and text messaging studies, including those of Mediamark Research, Rand Research
and Cingular. The theories of adolescent behavior and communication was derived from the theory of Erik Erikson. Current studies utilizing text messaging for healthcare communication are being utilized by the Centers for Disease Control and Kenya’s Ministry of Health.

Biography
A nurse for 7 years in the areas of pediatrics, NICU and nursery. Currently teaches at Kaplan University in Lincoln, NE in the Maternal/Child rotation and continues to practice at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center in Lincoln, NE. Also, currently a doctoral student at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, NE in the doctorate of education program for healthcare professionals.