ArticleBMC nursing2026
The relationship between smartphone-related distraction and medical error tendency among surgical nurses: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMC nursing, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Blurred Boundaries at the Bedside: Reframing Problematic Smartphone Use as an Ethical and Organisational Challenge in Nursing Practice.Nursing open · 2026Pooled it
- Subjective Workload and Cognitive Failure Among Emergency Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Analysis of Job Content and Job Burnout.Nursing open · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIn clinical settings, interruptions caused by smartphones disrupt nurses’ workflow and elevate the risk to patient safety. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the levels of smartphone-related distraction and medical error tendencies among surgical nurses.
methodsThis cross-sectional study included 319 surgical nurses and was conducted between April 22 and August 22, 2024, in two major healthcare institutions in Afyonkarahisar Province, Turkiye. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. The Personal Information Form, Smartphone Distraction Scale, and Malpractice Trend Scale were used to collect the data, which were analyzed using independent t-tests, two-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlations using SPSS22.0 software. Structural Equation Modeling using the Maximum Likelihood method and Bootstrap estimation was used.
resultsThe nurses’ levels of smartphone-related distraction were moderate, while their tendency toward medical errors was low. Some demographic factors, such as marital and educational status, were associated with smartphone-related distraction scores. A weak but statistically significant negative relationship was found between smartphone distraction and medical error tendency.
conclusionThis study found that surgical nurses had moderate levels of smartphone-related distraction and low levels of medical error tendency. However, a statistically significant negative relationship was identified between distraction and malpractice tendency scores, indicating that higher levels of distraction were associated with an increased likelihood of medical errors. Nevertheless, given the cross-sectional design, self-reported nature of the data, and the fact that the study was conducted in two institutions within a single country, these associations should be interpreted with caution. The findings underscore the importance of enhancing awareness to maintain nurses’ attentional focus and developing institutional policies that regulate smartphone use in clinical settings to promote patient safety. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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