Brain Rot as an Emerging Concept in Nursing: A Concept Analysis for Nursing Management

To clarify brain rot as an emerging concept, define its provisional boundaries, and examine its relevance to nursing management.

Brain rot describes perceived cognitive and psychological deterioration associated with recurrent consumption of trivial or undemanding digital content. Its status as a distinct construct, particularly in nursing, remains unestablished.

Walker and Avant's eight-step concept analysis method guided a purposive, iterative analysis of 56 sources identified across seven databases and supplementary reference checking. Evidence from brain-rot research, problematic digital use, cognition, technostress, and nursing work was compared to clarify attributes, boundaries, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents.

Five provisional attributes were identified: recurrent passive consumption of low-quality digital content, cognitive disruption, emotional dysregulation, reduced control over engagement, and functional impairment. Temporal progression was treated as a testable course characteristic rather than an attribute. Occupational digital load, workload, shift fatigue, and limited recovery were classified as contextual vulnerabilities rather than causes. Nursing-specific manifestations remain hypothetical.

Brain rot is regarded as a provisional conceptual configuration requiring discriminant, incremental, and longitudinal validation against established constructs.

Nurse managers should address established technology-related strain and recovery needs while supporting research; brain rot-specific screening, policy, or intervention is premature.