Objective: This study was conducted to determine the usage features of smartphones in nursing students.
Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 298 students at Trakya University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, in May 2015. Data were collected by “Survey Form” which developed by the researchers. Data was analyzed frenquency, percentage, chi-square and correlation analysis.
Results: The age of students was 20.6 ± 1.6, 91.9% of the students are girls, 93.6% of students had smartphone. Students use internet 318.98 ± 233.08 minutes in a day and 68.5% of students were using their smartphones during theoretical courses, 65.4% of students were using during clinical practices. Students were using smartphones 17.84 ± 33.30 minutes during one-hour lectures and 52.48 ± 65.46 minutes during the eight-hour clinical practice. In addition, 56.0% of students stated that smartphone using decrease personal relations. There was a difference between the classes of students and the usage aim of smartphones in theoretical courses and in clinical practice (p<0.05). It was found a negative correlation between age of students and daily internet usage time (p<0.05). It was found a positive correlation between age of students and smartphone usage time during clinical practices.
Conclusion: In this study was showed smartphone using common among nursing students, students benefit from smartphones for education but students use smartphones for curricular purposes during the courses and this case negatively affects their performance and success