Three-Dimensional Printing: Collaborative Nurse-Led Research

Though three-dimensional (3D) printing is often touted as cutting-edge technology, it actually made its appearance in the 1980s. Since then, this technology has made significant progress from its humble origins of layering polymers to create simple structures to the more sophisticated printing with elements such as metals used to create complex structures for aircraft. This technology has advanced and been finely tuned largely in thanks to the engineering profession. The variance within the printers, software, and printing material allows for broad application beyond engineering and manufacturing. Healthcare and academic applications are beginning to get traction. The National Institutes of Health has established a platform for sharing 3D ideas to support biotechnology and modeling for healthcare. It makes sense that nursing programs would, minimally, utilize 3D printers to enrich their institutional simulation laboratory and to manufacture specialty materials for training students in a cost-efficient manner. Opportunities to collaborate with other academic departments and community partners in the development and production of timely and effective solutions to pressing healthcare needs enriches student learning, nursing programs, and their graduates. Faculty buy-in and purposeful integration throughout the curriculum are vital variables associated with the successful implementation of 3D printing in a nursing program. Additional benefits include opportunities for publications, presentation of papers, and interprofessional collaboration.