Smartphone distraction during nursing care: Systematic literature review

To investigate the impact of smartphone distraction on the quality and safety of care provided by the nursing population during work.

About 80% of nurses use the smartphone in the workplace both for personal purposes and as a useful support to improve the quality of care. Distraction from smartphones during care is a phenomenon that should be known and managed within each health service.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PRISMA methodology. The sources included in the review study were subjected to a qualitative assessment using the GRADE method.

Sixteen articles were included in the review. Studies included highlight the positive and negative consequences of using mobile devices during nursing practice. Findings identify the smartphone as a generator of stimuli capable of diverting the attention of the person from the priority activities and absorbing the cognitive resources useful for carrying out these activities. Some studies aimed to show the restriction policies and/or the strategies for reducing disruptions. This review highlights how the free and indiscriminate use of the smartphone can negatively affect patient safety and the nurse-patient relationship through the dehumanization and depersonalization of care.

Mobile technology can improve nurses' performance and the quality of care provided. However, the application of regulations and policies by healthcare facilities is desirable to avoid inappropriate use of these devices by nurses. The available data do not provide a precise estimate of the effect that distraction from smartphones has on the outcomes of nursing care.