Relationship of nomophobia with clinical decision-making and job performance in nurses: a cross-sectional study

The increasing use of smartphones in healthcare has introduced new challenges for nurses, including nomophobia. This study addressed a gap in the literature by exploring the relationship between nomophobia and two critical aspects of nursing: clinical decision-making and job performance. This descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted in 2024–2025, included 190 eligible nurses from three hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran. The participants were selected via convenience and proportionate sampling methods. Data were collected using a demographic form, a Nomophobia Questionnaire, the Lauri and Salantera Clinical Decision Questionnaire, and the Patterson Job Performance Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22. The mean nomophobia score was 70.56 ± 24.36. The mean score of job performance and clinical decision-making were 23.77 (SD = 9.83), and 32.08 (SD = 14.98), respectively. Nomophobia was found to have a significant inverse relationship with job performance ( P = 0.002) whereas no statistically significant relationship was observed with clinical decision-making ( P = 0.18). The overall regression model was statistically significant (F = 15.01, p < 0.001) and explained 24.2% of the variance in nomophobia scores (R² = 0.242, adjusted R² = 0.226). Based on the model, the duration and frequency of smartphone use during working hours were significant predictors of the nomophobia score ( P < 0.01). The study found that higher levels of Nomophobia were associated with reduced job performance among nurses, while no significant effect was observed on clinical decision-making. The findings suggest that nomophobia is associated with lower job performance among nurses. Future studies are needed to determine whether interventions targeting smartphone-related behaviors can improve professional outcomes in clinical settings.