Inserting an intravenous (IV) feed is part of the job for nurses working with patients, and a new app promises to change the way students in the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Nursing learn how to do it properly.

The multimedia Move Improve app, created by a professor emeritus, aims to help train in these vital psychomotor skills.  

"Nursing students are taught IV starts as part of their training, and mastering this skill can be challenging," says associate professor (teaching) Megan Kirkpatrick, BN’09, MN’17, a registered nurse. 

"Inserting an IV can be painful for the patient and carries a risk of infection. Enhancing students’ competency in this skill can reduce the number of attempts required to start an IV, while also improving both the patient’s experience and overall outcomes."

Move Improve involves both the student and the instructor. Its learning activities can be used for self-evaluation, peer-to-peer learning, instructor assessment and collaborative interactions.

"Students also have the option to record themselves performing a skill and compare their technique to that of the expert," says Kirkpatrick. "The app also provides a checklist that outlines each step of the skill, which can be used both for learning and evaluating student competency."