Screen Time and Stress: Examining the Relationship Between Phone Usage and Stress Levels Among Nursing Students’

Excessive smartphone use is associated with increased stress, particularly among nursing students undergoing intensive clinical training. However, limited research explores the relationship between daily and weekly smartphone usage and clinical stress levels. Objective: This study examines the association between daily and weekly smartphone usage and clinical stress levels among nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 291 diploma nursing students in Malaysia using universal sampling. Data were collected in February 2025 via an online questionnaire. Clinical stress levels were assessed using the Nursing Students’ Perceived Clinical Stress Scale (NSPCSS), while self-reported daily and weekly screen time measured smartphone usage. One-way ANOVA was applied to examine associations between smartphone usage and clinical stress levels. Results: The participants’ mean age was 22.66 years (SD = 1.86), with 79.4% female. The mean weekly smartphone usage was 47.10 hours (SD = 40.73), and the mean daily smartphone usage was 6.80 hours (SD = 4.70). Weekly smartphone usage was not significantly associated with clinical stress levels (p = 0.381), while daily smartphone usage showed a significant association with clinical stress levels (p = 0.025). Conclusion: Daily smartphone usage is significantly associated with clinical stress levels, whereas weekly usage is not. These findings highlight the need for screen time awareness and digital well-being initiatives to help nursing students manage stress during clinical training.