The Smartphone Addiction Levels and the Association With Communication Skills in Nursing and Medical School Students

Abstract

Background The use of smartphones among young people is quite common. However, smartphones are associated with negative effects when used excessively. It has been reported that smartphone use may adversely affect learning in the classroom, cause safety issues, and negatively affect interpersonal communications. Purpose The aims of this study were to determine the level of smartphone addiction among nursing and medical school students and to examine the effect of smartphone addiction level on communication skills. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with medical school and nursing students at a public university (502 participants). Data were collected using a personal information form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Communication Skills Assessment Scale. Results All of the participants in the study owned smartphones. Most (70.9%) were female, and 58.2% were in the nursing program. The participants used smartphones for a mean time of 5.07 ± 3.32 hours a day, primarily for messaging. The mean total SAS-SV score for the participants was 31.89 ± 9.90, and a significant difference in SAS-SV mean scores was found with regard to the variables of department, gender, daily smartphone use duration, academic success, status regarding smartphone use in the classroom, participation in sports, easy communication with patients and relatives, preferred mode of communication, health problems tied to phone use, and injury status (p < .05). In addition, a positive weak-to-moderate relationship was found between SAS-SV mean scores and the variables of daily smartphone use duration and years of smartphone use, whereas a negative weak relationship was found between SAS-SV mean scores and Communication Skills Assessment Scale scores. Daily smartphone use duration was found to be the most important predictor of smartphone addiction. Conclusions/Implications for Practice Higher SAS-SV scores have a negative impact on interpersonal communication and social life and reduce learning efficacy in students. Therefore, students and lecturers should be better informed regarding the benefits and risks of smartphone use in education, with precautions provided against excessive and needless use.

Correlation between smartphone addiction and loneliness levels in nursing students

“…Cerit et al reported that communication skills of NSs are affected negatively by SA. Celikkalp et al 27 reported that NSs' social skills and learning efficacy, as well as communication skills, were negatively affected by SA. In addition, several studies on this subject reported that both SA and loneliness was found to be associated with the shyness, low self‐confidence, low social skills, low self‐esteem 28‐31 .…”

Determining the Problems and Expectations of Health Discipline Students in Clinical Practice Areas

“…9 Yapılan çalışmalarda öğretimde kalitenin sağlanmasında en önemli faktörlerden birinin "Öğretim elemanları" olduğu vurgulanmaktadır. 9,19,20 Uygulamalı disiplinlerde öğrencilerin öğrenmelerini kolaylaştırmak, sürekli değerlendirme yoluyla eksikliklerini gidermesine katkıda bulunmak için öğrenci sayısına uygun sayı ve nitelikte öğretmen/öğretim elemanına gereksinim vardır. Ancak; ülkemizde öğrenci sayısı her geçen yıl artar iken; öğretmen/öğretim elemanının sayısı yetersiz kalmaktadır.…”

“…21 Çelikkalp ve ark.nın, bir sağlık yüksekokulunda yaptığı araştırmada da öğretim elemanı sayısının yetersizliği ile ilgili sonuca ulaşılmıştır. 20 Öğrencilerin klinik uygulama alanlarında yaşadığı sorunlar içerisinde "Görev dışı sorumluluk alma (n=118)", "Hastaların öğrenciyi ciddiye alma- ması (n=104)", "Öğrenci sayısının fazla olması nedeniyle öğrenciyi klinikte istihdam edecek yerin olmaması (n=87)", "Teorik bilgileri klinikte/birimde uygulayamama (n=84)", "Klinik ya da birimdeki ekip tarafından benimsenmeme (n=81)" ilk sıralarda yer almakla birlikte; yaşanan sorunların kaynağı olarak "Sağlık personeli (n=197)" ve "Uygulama alanının fiziksel koşulları (n=91)"nın gösterildiği görüldü (Tablo 2). Karadağ ve ark.nın çalışmasında, öğrencilerin %33,8'inin uygulama alanında sorun yaşamalarının temel nedeni olarak, teorik bilgileri uygulamada kullanma fırsatı bulamamak olduğunu ifade ettiklerini belirtmişlerdir.…”

Does the smartphone use affect the determination of daily goals: A nursing students’ example?

“…4 Although using smartphones facilitates daily activities, it can also have a negative effect on interpersonal relationships, and physical and mental health. 3,[5][6][7][8] The use of mobile phones during driving can especially cause problems and even traffic accidents. Smartphone users are more likely to experience somatic symptoms, insomnia, social dysfunction, anxiety, and depression compared to the nonsmartphone users and it is also possible to become addicted to smartphones as seen with alcohol and other substances.…”

“…Some studies have evaluated to determine the relationship between smartphone addiction in university students and psychosocial factors such as sleep, depression, anxiety, burnout, and loneliness, both in Turkey and globally. 1,5,6,9,11,26 However, we have not come across a previous study on how using smartphones at the addiction level affects the realization of the daily goals. Our study is important in terms of investigating the risky use of smartphone in nurse candidates, who will play important roles in healing and also in protecting others in the society from substance abuse, and showing how this risky use affect their determination of daily goals.…”