Smartphone Use in Healthcare Settings: Nurses' Messages for Instant Action to Promote Patient Safety; A Cross-sectional Survey With Qualitative Open-ended Questions
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 入组人数
- 368
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Patterns of Personal Communication Device usage.
研究概览
简要总结
This study assessed patterns of smartphone use among nurses and evaluated its impact on clinical performance and patient safety in healthcare settings in Egypt, using a convergent mixed-methods design. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2025 and February 2026 across diverse clinical settings at Alexandria University Hospitals, including critical and emergency care, medical-surgical wards, operating theaters, outpatient clinics, home care services, and psychiatric support units. Of 900 nurses invited, 368 completed the online questionnaire via Google Forms (response rate: 40.9%). Quantitative data assessed nurses' patterns of smartphone use and its impact on patient care using an adapted validated scale. Qualitative data were collected through two open-ended narrative questions exploring smartphone-related clinical incidents and recommendations for safe use. A total of 105 clinical incidents attributed to smartphone distraction were identified and categorized into four themes, while 176 respondents provided actionable recommendations categorized into five strategic pillars for safe clinical integration.
详细描述
This study employs a prospective observational design to investigate the integration of smartphone technology in nursing workflows and its direct implications for patient safety. As healthcare environments become increasingly fast-paced, the reliance on instant messaging (e.g., WhatsApp, specialized hospital apps) for clinical communication has grown.
The research focuses on several key dimensions:
Communication Efficiency: Assessing how instant messages facilitate rapid clinical decision-making and "instant action" compared to traditional communication methods.
- An online self-administered questionnaire will be used for the quantitative part; it will be shared with participants through their personal WhatsApp number after meeting them and getting their approval to participate in the study.
- Semi-structured interviews will be used to collect data for the qualitative part; interviews will be conducted in the Arabic language, either face-to-face or online through the MS Teams platform (synchronous/asynchronous) mode for easy contact with participants
Patient Safety Outcomes: Monitoring the reporting of critical lab values, medication clarifications, and urgent patient status changes through digital messages.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Observational
- 观察模型
- Cohort
- 时间视角
- Retrospective
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Device Usage: Must actively use a personal communication device (smartphone or tablet) during working hours for either personal or professional purposes.
- •Work Setting: Must be assigned to in-patient care units where direct patient monitoring and interaction occur.
排除标准
- •Nurses on leave or those who declined to participate
研究组 & 干预措施
Participating Nurses
This arm includes staff nurses to assess their patterns of personal communication device use including frequency, duration, and types of applications while simultaneously evaluating the subsequent impact of these devices on in-patient care. Through a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, the study examines how these usage patterns influence clinical workflows, nurses' responsiveness, and overall patient safety, focusing on identifying both the professional benefits and potential risks associated with the use of personal devices in clinical settings.
干预措施: Assessment of Personal Communication Device Usage Patterns. (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Patterns of Personal Communication Device usage.
时间窗: October 2025 and February 2026
Evaluation of how frequently and for what duration nurses use their personal devices for both professional and personal purposes during shift hours, measured via a structured survey.
Patterns of Personal Communication Device usage.
时间窗: Through study completion, an average of 6 months.
Evaluation of how frequently and for what duration nurses use their personal devices for both professional and personal purposes during shift hours, measured via a structured survey.
次要结局
- Impact of Personal Communication Device Use on In-patient Care Indicators(October 2025 and February 2026)
- Nurses' Perceptions and Reported Clinical Incidents.(October 2025 and February 2026)
- Impact of Personal Communication Device Use on In-patient Care Indicators(Through study completion, an average of 6 months.)
- Nurses' Perceptions and Reported Clinical Incidents.(Through study completion, an average of 6 months.)
研究者
Mohamed Fakhry Ahmed Salem
Lecturer of Medical-Surgical Nursing
Alexandria University