September 14, 2020 — OVERLAND PARK, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–How can 5G transform the future of nursing? That’s the challenge T-Mobile and students at the University of Kansas are taking on this fall semester. T-Mobile, KU School of Nursing (SON) and the KU Center for Design Research (CDR) have teamed up through a Capstone Research Project to help students develop new training methods and tools that could revolutionize how nursing is taught at the University of Kansas School of Nursing and beyond.
CDR students working with technical experts at T-Mobile are researching potential solutions that combine the use of 5G technologies, distance learning principles, and design thinking. They’ll explore new ways to use virtual and augmented reality as a teaching tool, and advance understanding of the role artificial intelligence can play in a clinical environment. This multi-year program aims to find new and creative ways to educate and train nurses across a variety of settings – whether they are attending a university, conducting research in a lab or working in a rural clinic or large metropolitan hospital.
“With the onset of COVID-19 we quickly moved to a virtual nursing education program and now more than ever see the need for creative new approaches using advanced technology to educate nursing students at all levels,” said Cynthia Teel, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, KU School of Nursing. “We’re incredibly excited about the future of our educational programs and we also see a tremendous opportunity to advance how nursing is taught in this country.”
“The worldwide pandemic has touched everyone from the most advanced urban centers to isolated rural villages. But with adversity comes opportunity,” said Gregory Thomas, Professor/Director, Center for Design Research. “Our nursing education has to be expanded. Students must learn their profession with ease and with tools that don’t currently exist. They must utilize the knowledge learned from having to improvise. Its means of delivery is essential – it must be quick, reliable and easy to implement. The School of Nursing has the need, T-Mobile has the 5G technology, and KU CDR will work collectively in the collaboration to bring about a paradigm shift in nursing education.”
“Healthcare is one of the most exciting fields when we think about 5G’s ability to not only transform an industry but literally improve lives,” said John Saw, Executive Vice President of Advanced and Emerging Technology at T-Mobile. “Augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics and more will radically improve how we train healthcare workers and bring better care to people in communities of all sizes.”
At the end of the Fall semester, CDR students will present their 5G research in the form of learnings for new product and service ideas, potential business models and go-to-market strategies.
T-Mobile has the first and largest nationwide 5G network, covering over 250 million people across 1.3 million square miles — that’s bigger than AT&T and Verizon’s 5G networks combined. The Un-carrier is quickly lighting up 2.5 GHz spectrum from Sprint — bringing customers in those areas average speeds around 300 Mbps with peak speeds up to 1 Gbps. With this unprecedented 5G network as a foundation, T-Mobile is working to fuel 5G innovation and build the 5G ecosystem. The Un-carrier collaborates with various universities across the country to support 5G research and development. It is a co-founder of the 5G Open Innovation Lab and proud sponsor of the award-winning T-Mobile Accelerator.
