JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

There has been an increase in technological infrastructures of many healthcare organizations to support the practice of healthcare providers. However, many nurses are using their personal digital devices such as smartphones, while at work for personal and professional purposes. Despite the proliferation of smartphone use in the healthcare setting, there is limited research on the clinical use of these devices by nurses. It is unclear as to what extent and for what reasons nurses are using their personal smartphones to support their practice.

Objective:

This study aimed to understand the current breadth of research on nurse’s personal smartphone use in the workplace and identify implications for research, practice, and education.

Methods:

A scoping review was conducted and the following databases were used in the literature search: CINHAL, PubMed, Dissertations and Theses, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Nursing and Allied Health Database, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Reviews. Search terms used were: Nurs* AND (personal digital technology OR smartphone OR cellphone OR mobile phone OR cellular phone). Inclusion criteria included research focused on nurses’ use of their own digital technology, reported in English, and published between January 2010 and January 2020. Exclusion criteria were if the device/app was implemented for research purposes, if the device was provided by the organization, if it focused on infection control, and if it was focused on nursing students/nursing education.

Results:

Twenty-two of 2606 articles met inclusion criteria. Three main themes from the thematic analyses included: personal smartphone use for patient care, personal smartphone use for personal reasons, and implications of personal smartphone use. Nurses used their smartphones to locate information about medications, procedures, diagnoses, and laboratory tests. Downloaded applications were used by nurses to locate patient care related information. Nurses reported improved communication among health team members and used their personal devices to communicate patient information via text messaging, calling, and picture/video functions. Nurses expressed insight into personal smartphone use and challenges related to distraction, information privacy, organizational policies, and patient perception.

Conclusions:

Nurses view personal smartphones as an efficient method to gather patient care information and to communicate with the healthcare team. This review highlights knowledge gaps regarding nurses’ personal device use and information safety, patient care outcomes, and communication practices. This scoping review facilitates critical reflection on patient care practices within the digital context. We infer that nurses’ use of their personal devices to communicate among the health care team may demonstrate a technological ‘work-around’ meant to reconcile health system demands for cost-efficiency with efforts to provide quality patient care.The current breadth of research is focused on acute care, with little research focus in other practices settings. Research initiatives are needed to explore personal device use across the continuum of healthcare settings.