The relationship between nomophobia and the distraction associated with smartphone use among nursing students in their clinical practicum

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 13; no. 8; p. e0202953
• Main Authors: Aguilera-Manrique, Gabriel, Márquez-Hernández, Verónica V, Alcaraz-Córdoba, Tania, Granados-Gámez, Genoveva, Gutiérrez-Puertas, Vanesa, Gutiérrez-Puertas, Lorena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 27.08.2018; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Addictions; Addictive behaviors; Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Behavior; Biology and Life Sciences; Cellular telephones; College students; Confidentiality; Correlation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Engineering and Technology; Ethical aspects; Fear & phobias; Female; Health sciences; Humans; Internet access; Male; Medical practice; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Nurses; Nursing; Nursing students; Patient Care; Patient Safety; People and Places; Phobic Disorders - diagnosis; Phobic Disorders - epidemiology; Phobic Disorders - psychology; Policies; Preceptorship; Psychological aspects; Smart phones; Smartphone - statistics & numerical data; Smartphones; Social networks; Social Sciences; Spain - epidemiology; Students; Students, Nursing - psychology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; University students; Young Adult; Spain
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202953

The increasing concern about the adverse effects of overuse of smartphones during clinical practicum implies the need for policies restricting smartphone use while attending to patients. It is important to educate health personnel about the potential risks that can arise from the associated distraction. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the level of nomophobia and the distraction associated with smartphone use among nursing students during their clinical practicum. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 304 nursing students. The nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q) and a questionnaire about smartphone use, the distraction associated with it, and opinions about phone restriction policies in hospitals were used. A positive correlation between the use of smartphones and the total score of nomophobia was found. In the same way, there was a positive correlation between opinion about smartphone restriction polices with each of the dimensions of nomophobia and the total score of the questionnaire. Nursing students who show high levels of nomophobia also regularly use their smartphones during their clinical practicum, although they also believe that the implementation of policies restricting smartphone use while working is necessary.