Use of instant messaging to enhance leadership and management training for rural nurse managers

This article describes a study that explored the use of instant messaging in continuing education for nurses and midwives using a leadership and management programme designed for rural nurse managers in Zambia. Twenty trainees who were enrolled in a leadership and management course, five supervisors and six course facilitators participated in the discussions over a period of nine months. Each week, a supervisor posted a question to participants regarding content in the curriculum and how the participants were applying this to their daily work. Participants were required to answer the question within a week. Information was free-flowing and participants were encouraged to engage actively, ask questions and share their experiences. Conversations were extracted from mobile devices and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes from the messages were identified as social interaction, professional networking and educational interactions. The findings demonstrate that instant messaging can be a useful platform for learners and their facilitators in a blended type of learning and can enhance communication, promote social interaction and professional networking, and support the application of knowledge to practice.