Keywords
clinical observation skills
nursing students
cross-sectional study
digital distraction
patient safety
How to Cite
Abstract
Background: Smartphone usage has become widespread among students, often leading to dependency that may affect essential academic and clinical competencies. In nursing education, clinical observation skills are vital for patient assessment and safety, but these may be compromised by excessive smartphone use.
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of smartphone dependency on clinical observation skills among undergraduate nursing students in Swat, Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 260 undergraduate nursing students from various nursing colleges in Swat. The sample size was calculated using the Raosoft calculator based on a population of 800 students. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including demographic details, smartphone dependency (measured using a standardized dependency scale), and clinical observation skills (assessed using a validated checklist). Pearson correlation and ANOVA were used for statistical analysis.
Results: The majority of participants (50.8%) demonstrated moderate smartphone dependency, while 26.9% had high dependency. Only 18.1% exhibited high clinical observation skills, and 26.5% showed low observation skills. A statistically significant moderate negative correlation was found between smartphone dependency and clinical observation skills (r = –0.437, p < 0.001). ANOVA results revealed a significant difference in observation skills across dependency levels (p < 0.001), with high-dependency students scoring the lowest.
Conclusion: Smartphone dependency negatively impacts the clinical observation skills of nursing students. Strategies are needed to manage digital distractions and promote focused learning during clinical training.