Smartphone Dependency and Attitudes Toward Restriction Policies During Clinical Training

Smartphones are widely used in nursing education but may pose ethical and safety challenges during clinical training. This study examined factors associated with smartphone dependency among Portuguese nursing students. In this cross-sectional study, 371 undergraduate nursing students were selected through convenience sampling and completed an online questionnaire in 2024. The questionnaire included demographic information, items related to smartphone usage, and attitudes toward related policies. For analysis, the data on students were divided into 2 groups based on their smartphone dependency: group 1 (n = 207) consisted of low-dependent users, and group 2 (n = 164) consisted of high-dependent users. Group differences were examined using independent t tests and χ 2 tests, and binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with smartphone dependency. The mean age of students was 21.9 ± 4 years. In the adjusted analysis, daily smartphone use was positively associated with smartphone dependency (OR = 1.63, P = .003), whereas favorable attitudes toward restriction policies were associated with lower odds of high dependency (OR = 0.92, P = .007). Smartphone dependency among nursing students is associated with distinct behavioral and attitudinal profiles. These findings underscore the need for targeted education and policy development addressing both ethical awareness and digital professionalism in clinical environments.