Registered nurses' use of personal communication devices in hospitals
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2014-12
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University of Hawaii at Manoa
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Personal communication devices such as basic cell phones, enhanced cell phones (smartphones) and tablet computers provide users instant access to a wealth of electronic media such as the Internet, email, and instant texting. In hospitals the potential distraction of personal communication devices could be particularly hazardous. However, the extent of this issue is unknown. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the frequency of personal communication device (basic cell phones, enhanced cell phones (smartphones) and tablet computers) use among hospital registered nurses, and (2) to identify the concerns and opinions among hospital registered nurses regarding personal communication device use on in-patient units. In March 2014 a previously validated 30-question survey was emailed to the 10,978 members of the Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses. There were 825 respondents who met the inclusion criteria. The use of a personal communication device while working was reported by 78.1% of respondents. Sending personal emails and text messages while working was acknowledged by 38.6% of respondents. Nurses reported shopping on the Internet (9.6%), checking/posting on social networking sites (14.3%) and playing online games (6.5%) while working. Safety concerns were expressed by 87.2% who believe that personal communication devices on a nursing unit are a serious distraction and 69.5% who believe that personal communication devices in hospitals have a negative on patient care. Registered nurses reported that distraction by their personal communication device had negatively affected their performance as a nurse (7.4%), that they had witnessed another registered nurse negatively affected (70.9%); that they had missed important clinical information (4%), that they had witnessed another registered nurse miss important clinical information (29.9%), that they had made a medical error (0.8%) and had witnessed another registered nurse make a medical error (13.1%) as a result of their use of a personal communication device. This study suggests that the majority of registered nurses believe that personal communication device use on hospital units raise significant safety issues. There is a need for further study of this issue and to establish a consensus on the appropriate use of personal communication device while working in hospitals.
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distraction, cellular phone, Internet, nurses
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Theses for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (University of Hawaii at Manoa). Nursing (PhD).
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