Smartphones' impact on nursing performances: a cross-sectional multicenter study.

Background: In recent years, the technology world has significantly shaped society. This study aims to survey the views of registered nurses with hospital working experience regarding the personal communication devices use impact in hospital units. The secondary outcome of this study was to identify differences in mobile device use based on demographic and organizational factors. Study design: Cross-sectional study by survey. Methods: The questionnaire comprises 22 items divided into four sections. Overall 778 questionnaires were included in the study, 329 questionnaires were collected on pen-and-paper, whereas 449 by an online survey. Results: Findings showed that smartphones have a different impact on performance, utilization and impact scale according to gender, age and educational attainment. Generally males using more frequently personal communication devices for non-work-related activities affected negatively their working performance by respect to females. Moreover, younger nurses report being more distracted by using smartphones for non-work-related activities than older nurses. At the same time, younger nurses believe that smartphones may lead to an improvement in patient care skills. Nurses with fewer years of service (1 month - 10 years) report being more distracted by non-work-related activities on their smartphones than nurses with more years of service (>20 years). Conclusions: The smartphone is a potential distraction source. The most exposed groups are the younger nurses' and those with little work experience, and both groups (young age, less experience) can be considered factors for potential distraction.

Smartphone distraction during nursing care: Systematic literature review.

AIM: To investigate the impact of smartphone distraction on the quality and safety of care provided by the nursing population during work. BACKGROUND: About 80% of nurses use the smartphone in the workplace both for personal purposes and as a useful support to improve the quality of care. Distraction from smartphones during care is a phenomenon that should be known and managed within each health service. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA methodology. The sources included in the review study were subjected to a qualitative assessment using the GRADE method. RESULTS: Sixteen articles were included in the review. Studies included highlight the positive and negative consequences of using mobile devices during nursing practice. Findings identify the smartphone as a generator of stimuli capable of diverting the attention of the person from the priority activities and absorbing the cognitive resources useful for carrying out these activities. Some studies aimed to show the restriction policies and/or the strategies for reducing disruptions. This review highlights how the free and indiscriminate use of the smartphone can negatively affect patient safety and the nurse-patient relationship through the dehumanization and depersonalization of care. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile technology can improve nurses' performance and the quality of care provided. However, the application of regulations and policies by healthcare facilities is desirable to avoid inappropriate use of these devices by nurses. The available data do not provide a precise estimate of the effect that distraction from smartphones has on the outcomes of nursing care.