Is there a relationship between nursing students’ smartphone use, their fear of missing out and their care-related behaviour?

Abstract

Aim This study aims to determine the relationship between smartphone use among intern nursing students, fear of missing out and their care-related behaviour.

Background Today, smartphone use is common and fear of missing out is a prominent issue in our society; this behaviour and issue are linked and may lead to adverse consequences. Design: The study is conducted as a cross-sectional design.

Methods The target population in this research consists of senior nursing students (n = 101). There was no sampling selection and the study was completed with 97 students who agreed to participate in the research. Data were collected with introductory questionnaire forms, the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS), the Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOs) and the Caring Assessment Questionnaire (Care-Q). The valid and reliable SAS, FoMOs and Care-Q were transformed into online forms and the link was distributed to the participants via online Google forms.

Results Based on the results of the study, the mean scores were 83.30 ± 2.21 of SAS, 21.56 ± 6.42 for FOMOs and 5.54 ± 0.87 for Care-Q scale. There were statistically significant differences between gender and Care-Q score and between the duration of smartphone use, daily smartphone usage time and SAS score (p < 0.05). There was a weak positive relationship between SAS and FoMOs scale scores, along with a weak negative relationship between the accessibility and comfort sub-dimensions of the SAS and Care-Q scale. Also, the SAS score explains 0.4% of the comfort subscale of the Care-Q scale (p < 0.05).

Conclusions Further research focusing on nursing students is recommended to identify potential adverse effects created by the use of smartphones and the fear of missing out. In addition, educators are recommended to develop guidelines and prepare new policies for smartphone use to minimise the potential negative effects of smartphone use and fear of missing out on student care behaviour.