Nurses' Use of Mobile Devices to Access Information in Health Care Environments in Australia: A Survey of Undergraduate Students

Background: The growth of digital technology has created challenges for safe and appropriate use of mobile or portable devices during work-integrated learning (WIL) in health care environments. Personal and professional use of technology has outpaced the development of policy or codes of practice for guiding its use at the workplace. There is a perceived risk that portable devices may distract from provision of patient or client care if used by health professionals or students during employment or WIL. Objective: This study aimed to identify differences in behavior of undergraduate nurses in accessing information, using a portable or mobile device, when undertaking WIL compared to other non-work situations. Methods: A validated online survey was administered to students while on placement in a range of health care settings in two Australian states. Results: There were 84 respondents, with 56% (n=47) reporting access to a mobile or portable device. Differences in use of a mobile device away from, compared with during WIL, were observed for non-work related activities such as messaging (P<.001), social networking (P<.001), shopping on the Internet (P=. 01), conducting personal business online (P=. 01), and checking or sending non-work related texts or emails to co-workers (P=. 04). Study-related activities were conducted more regularly away from the workplace and included accessing University sites for information (P=. 03) and checking or sending study-related text messages or emails to friends or co-workers (P=. 01). Students continued to access nursing, medical, professional development, and study-related information away from the workplace. Conclusions: Undergraduate nurses limit their access to non-work or non-patient centered information while undertaking WIL. Work-related mobile learning is being undertaken, in situ, by the next generation of nurses who expect easy access to mobile or portable devices at the workplace, to ensure safe and competent care is delivered to their patients.