[Interdisciplinary, research-based teaching format for participatory technology development in nursing: a mixed methods study].

Interdisciplinary, research-based teaching format for participatory technology development in nursing: a mixed methods study Abstract: Background: Digital assistance technologies offer great potential to support and relieve the burden of care when they are tailored to the requirements of everyday care and developed in collaboration with users. Aim: The objective was to develop and pilot an interdisciplinary, research-oriented teaching format (IFL) to train students of computer science (bachelor's degree) and health and nursing sciences (master's degree) in robotics development, participatory research, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Methods: The twelve-month IFL was divided into an idea phase and a development phase with a focus on teaching participatory and interdisciplinary skills. A mixed methods design with pre-post surveys and focus group interviews was used for evaluation to assess the impact on collaboration and the conditions for success for such teaching formats. Results: The piloted IFL led to the development of a proof of concept for robotics-assisted wound documentation. While the attitude of computer science students toward interdisciplinary collaboration improved, a negative trend was observed among nursing students. Focus group interviews emphasized the importance of clear structures, curricular anchoring, and practical tasks for successful collaboration. Conclusions: Students are in favor of IFL with practical relevance to their future professional practice. Such teaching formats promote interdisciplinary collaboration as well as the personal and professional development of students.