The dark side of technology: cyberloafing, a Turkish study of nursing behaviour

This study aimed to explore the frequency of both serious and minor cyberloafing behaviours of nurses and the factors which affect these behaviours.

Cyberloafing is using the internet or an internet connected device at work for personal use. Cyberloafing is a behaviour that negatively affects the personal performance of healthcare staff.

A total of 375 nurses in three large hospitals in Eastern Turkey participated in this descriptive research. A personal information form and the Cyberloafing Scale were used to collect the data.

The data analyses showed moderate levels of minor cyberloafing scores and low levels of serious cyberloafing scores. The more serious level of cyberloafing behaviour was found among nurses who had social networking accounts and spent more than four hours on the internet each day. Minor cyberloafing behaviours occurred more frequently than the serious level.

The frequency of cyberloafing behaviours is influenced by time spent on the internet, having social networking accounts, age, marital status, education and professional experience.

The findings support the development of policies that are designed to have nurses focus on patient care during work hours; use their working hours more effectively; and prevent cyberloafing.