Nursing Students’ Computer Self-Efficacy and Attitudes toward Its Use in The Health Care Setting: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Context: The use of technology and computers in health care has been reported to improve nurses' decision-making and competencies, which in turn increase the quality of health-care practice.
 Aim: of this study is to assess and compare nursing students’ computer self-efficacy and attitudes toward its use in a health care setting in the Faculty of nursing – Benha and Hail Universities.
 Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study design was used to achieve the current study aim. The study conducted in the Faculty of Nursing - Banha University, Egypt, and Faculty of Nursing – Hail University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Quota sampling of 219 students was chosen as follows; 190 students from the Faculty of Nursing - Banha University and 29 students from the Faculty of Nursing – Hail University. A structured self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic data, the pretest for attitudes toward computers in healthcare, and computer self-efficacy scales were the tool used to collect the study data. 
 Results: 33% of nursing students from Benha University were have a realistic view of current computer capabilities in health care. In contrast, 28% of nursing students from Hail had a very positive view of computer use in health care. Nursing students at Hail University have the highest mean score compared to Benha nursing students (79.45±15.85 & 61.2±7.25, respectively) in their attitudes toward computer and computer self-efficacy. Benha nursing students have moderate computer self-efficacy compared with Hail nursing students who have a high computer self-efficacy level. A highly statistically significant relationship was detected between students' attitudes toward computers and computer self-efficacy (p-value=0.000). Also, there was a highly positive, statistically significant correlation between the demographic variables of nursing students and both students’ attitudes toward computers in health care and computer self-efficacy (p-value =0.00).
 Conclusion: Nursing students in both universities have a positive attitude toward computer use. A significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups in their attitude toward computer and self-efficacy was detected, with a highly statistically significant correlation between both students’ attitudes and their self-efficacy. Also, a significant relationship revealed between the studied students’ demographics and their attitude and self-efficacy. Future studies are recommended to evaluate existing technologies in terms of acceptance, effectiveness, and efficiency in real-life settings and to examine its effect on patient outcomes. Nurse educators should design training courses and educational programs to enhance computer self-efficacy beliefs among nursing students.

Examining Nursing Students' Attitudes Towards Computer Use in Health Care

“…Gonen, Sharon, Offir ve Lev-Ari'nin (2014) çalışmasında hemşirelik öğrencilerinin öz-yeterlilikleri ve yenilikçi olma durumları ile bilgisayar kullanımına yönelik tutumları arasında anlamlı pozitif bir ilişki bulunmuştur (22). Hassona, Ali ve Nageeb'in (2019) çalışmasında hemşirelik öğrencilerinin yaşı, cinsiyeti, bilgisayar eğitimi süresi ve aldığı yer ve öğrencilerin bilgisayara yönelik özyeterlilikleri ile sağlık alanında bilgisayar kullanımına yönelik tutumları arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı pozitif bir ilişki saptanmıştır (36).…”