iROC Initiative
How UR Nursing leverages iPad devices and other technologies to transform nursing education.
2018
Initiative launched
The iROC (Redefining Our Classroom) Initiative began at UR Nursing
94%
Median exam score
Comprehensive Health Assessment with flipped classroom approach and iPad devices
540
Active users
Current number of students utilizing iPad devices across all programs
We’re proud to have our Apple Distinguished School designation renewed for 2024–27, recognizing the continued impact of our iROC mobile learning initiative and our commitment to advancing 21st-century nursing education.
Why iROC?
The U.S. healthcare landscape is rapidly changing, and expectations for nurses and nursing students are evolving with it. Today’s new nurses must care for higher-acuity patients in fast-paced, unpredictable settings where quick judgment and strong critical-thinking skills are essential to achieving positive outcomes.
To prepare safe, competent nurses, students must engage in learning experiences that build critical thinking and strengthen clinical judgment. This requires nursing educators to move beyond traditional lecture-based instruction and adopt more personalized, application-focused approaches that bridge classroom learning with real-world clinical practice.
Launched in 2018, our iROC Initiative advances this mission by integrating active learning strategies into a dynamic digital classroom—empowering students as they develop into the nursing leaders of tomorrow.
Resilience and innovation thrive in environments where collaboration, curiosity and compassion lead the way, and where we never stop asking how we can do better for our patients, our communities, and one another.
iROC in action
Dynamic environment
The iROC Initiative has enabled digital technologies to foster an environment of discovery which puts our students at the center of their own learning experience.
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Lab & clinical
Students use the iPad in the skills/simulation labs and in their clinical experiences to document electronic records, scan patient barcodes, review case studies, and participate in virtual simulations.
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Faculty development
Our faculty and instructional designers are dedicated to innovation at every educational level.
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In the ABSN program
Accelerated Nursing students receive an iPad on the first day of orientation and utilize it throughout their program.
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In the RN to BS program
Students receive an iPad in the RN to BS program to complete interactive and hands-on online courses, ensuring students have equitable access to technology and IT support.
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On the horizon
A pilot in our Nurse Practitioner programs, students use the iPad in clinical settings to bring current evidence to the bedside and facilitate best practices in patient education.
Learn moreiROC & the Accelerated Nursing Program
The iROC Initiative was launched in the Accelerated Nursing program in 2019. Students receive an iPad on the first day of orientation and utilize it throughout their classroom, lab, and clinical experiences over the 12 month program. After implementation, students performed better on the Comprehensive Health Assessment exam and were more satisfied with instruction materials, workload, and resources.
iROC & the RN to BS Program
The iROC Initiative was launched in the RN to BS program in 2018. Students receive an iPad to complete interactive and hands-on online courses, ensuring students have equitable access to technology and IT support.
See what students are saying
The iROC initiative focuses on providing students with a technological platform that enhances their learning experience. The provision of the iPads at the beginning of the school year facilitated my learning in so many different ways. My favorite experience was an online telemedicine simulation—it was exciting to gain insight on this form of patient care.
Incorporating the iPads in our curriculum has truly given value to experiential learning. Learning has become fun and more interactive because of the games, surveys, and other activities we are able to do on the iPad. The iPads also create an enriching mock environment of clinical experiences that allow us to exercise and sharpen our fundamental nursing skills, which makes the material that much more comprehensive. I really feel more confident and equipped to begin my career.