Abstract
Background: Nomophobia is defined as the fear of being detached from mobile phone use. The use of smart phones during clinical education is highly regulated by healthcare facilities and nursing schools alike. A meta-analysis of smart phone use among nursing students indicates the prevalence of nomophobia at 22% in a sample of 2780 nursing students (Osorio-Molina et.al, 2021). Nursing student use of cell phones in the clinical setting is associated with increased levels of procrastination, hypervigilance and “buck-passing” which can affect both their clinical and academic performance (Marquez-Hernandez et al, 2020).
In the fall of 2022, nursing faculty received an anonymous student tip that students in a particular clinical course were using the BeReal app during their clinical time and photographs had been taken that could constitute a violation of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA). Over 60 students emailed the baccalaureate program director to take accountability for having taken a photograph or being in a photograph taken with the BeReal app during clinical. Student remediation included completion of a learning growth contract and a 2-page reflection essay.
Qualitative analysis of deidentified reflective essays revealed 9 fascinating themes: habitual phone use - use it without thinking, using social media is the norm, it's a means of social support, no consideration of consequences, inappropriate use affects professional image, need to be more mindful when using, recognition that school policies and procedures are important, and students frustrated by inconsistent policies or clinical enforcement.
This study provides unique insight and understanding of student judgment and perceptions regarding cell phone use and engagement in social media while in the clinical setting. Understanding student feelings, perceptions and practices will help the nurse educator design relevant orientation, policies, and education to convey expected student behaviors.
Notes
References:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The Essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education. Accessible online at https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Essentials-2021.pdf
Márquez-Hernández, V. V., Gutiérrez-Puertas, L., Granados-Gámez, G., Gutiérrez-Puertas, V., & Aguilera-Manrique, G. (2020). Problematic mobile phone use, nomophobia and decision-making in nursing students mobile and decision-making in nursing students. Nurse education in practice, 49, 102910. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102910
Osorio-Molina, C., Martos-Cabrera, M. B., Membrive-Jiménez, M. J., Vargas-Roman, K., Suleiman-Martos, N., Ortega-Campos, E., & Gómez-Urquiza, J. L. (2021). Smartphone addiction, risk factors and its adverse effects in nursing students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nurse education today, 98, 104741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104741
Sigma Membership
Delta Chi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Meta-Analysis/Synthesis
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Teaching and Learning Strategies, Academic-clinical Partnership, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Cell Phone Use, Nomophobia
Recommended Citation
Sloan, Christine Ann; Tiedt, Jane A.; and Owens, Joan M., "Nurses Do It, Why Can't We? Social Media Use in the Prelicensure Clinical Setting" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 225.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/225
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Nurses Do It, Why Can't We? Social Media Use in the Prelicensure Clinical Setting
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Nomophobia is defined as the fear of being detached from mobile phone use. The use of smart phones during clinical education is highly regulated by healthcare facilities and nursing schools alike. A meta-analysis of smart phone use among nursing students indicates the prevalence of nomophobia at 22% in a sample of 2780 nursing students (Osorio-Molina et.al, 2021). Nursing student use of cell phones in the clinical setting is associated with increased levels of procrastination, hypervigilance and “buck-passing” which can affect both their clinical and academic performance (Marquez-Hernandez et al, 2020).
In the fall of 2022, nursing faculty received an anonymous student tip that students in a particular clinical course were using the BeReal app during their clinical time and photographs had been taken that could constitute a violation of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA). Over 60 students emailed the baccalaureate program director to take accountability for having taken a photograph or being in a photograph taken with the BeReal app during clinical. Student remediation included completion of a learning growth contract and a 2-page reflection essay.
Qualitative analysis of deidentified reflective essays revealed 9 fascinating themes: habitual phone use - use it without thinking, using social media is the norm, it's a means of social support, no consideration of consequences, inappropriate use affects professional image, need to be more mindful when using, recognition that school policies and procedures are important, and students frustrated by inconsistent policies or clinical enforcement.
This study provides unique insight and understanding of student judgment and perceptions regarding cell phone use and engagement in social media while in the clinical setting. Understanding student feelings, perceptions and practices will help the nurse educator design relevant orientation, policies, and education to convey expected student behaviors.
Description
This qualitative study of pre-licensure student perceptions and inappropriate use of social media and cell phone use provides a nuanced student perspective of phone use and social media in the clinical setting.