The nursing and midwifery student self-assessment of mobile device addiction

Information for nursing staff, 2022, 55(2), 45-49.

P. Dilova, E. Dimitrova

Faculty of Health Care, Medical University ‒ Pleven

Abstract. Mobile devices are an essential part of everyday life in the modern world. Their numerous features and accessibility have changed the interests and values of many users. However, these changes also raise fears among physicians and lecturers of their excessive use and even addiction to them by young people. The study aimed to determine the level of addiction to continuous use of mobile devices by students of the Faculty of Health Care, Medical University – Pleven, assess the negative effects on their education, and find out how these effects can be overcome. To achieve the study goal, we used the following methods: overt observation of the behavior of nursing and midwifery students and an anonymous survey. Also, we interviewed the lecturers and health care assistants involved in the student training. We obtained the following results: According to the self-assessment of the respondents, only 20 (21.7%) were not dependent on their mobile devices; 36 (39.1%) reported forgetting some planned tasks without a mobile device, while 29 (32.6%) had difficulty in their daily activities. Only six students (6.5%) stated they depend entirely on their devices. Conclusions: almost all of the 85 (93.5%) students who participated in the study were dependent to varying degrees on their mobile devices in daily life. Notably, a non-insignificant share of 60 (66.3%) of them were not fully aware of their dependence. Finally, we can say that excessive use of mobile devices also affects the respondent direct communication skills – a valuable professional quality in the work of the nurse and midwife.

Key words: mobile devices, addiction, students

Address for correspondence: Petya Ivanova Dilova, e-mail: Petia.Dilova@mu-pleven.bg