Nursing Students' Technological Equipment Usage and Individual Innovation Levels

Technological equipment is an indispensable part of many people's lives. In parallel with this development, the role of innovation is critical to nurses' ability to provide patient care. Today, nursing students have grown up with technology. Therefore, the field is expected to be more open to innovation in nursing care. It is thought that the use of technological equipment influences the level of innovation. The purpose of this study was to determine nursing students' technological equipment usage, individual innovation levels, and the relationship between them. This descriptive study employed a correlational design during the 2015-2016 academic year at a Nursing Department in the Faculty of Health Sciences in Istanbul. The study population comprised 199 nursing students. The study sample included 165 students who volunteered to participate and were chosen at random. Most (93.3%) of the students were women, and the mean age was 20.92 +/- 1.63 years. Data were collected using a devised structured-question form, the Technological Device Use Habits Scale, and the Individual Innovation Scale. Participants' mean scores on the Technological Equipment Usage (a subscale of the Technological Device Use Habits Scale) and on the Individual Innovation Scale were 135.15 +/- 27.09 and 61.02 +/- 8.89, respectively. Students' technological equipment usage subscale was higher than the other subscales; furthermore, their individual innovation levels revealed that they were "questioners." Several factors affected students' technological equipment usage and individual innovation levels including their age, income, work status, usage of social networking sites, Internet connection type, and if they considered themselves as innovative. The role of technological innovation is critical to nurses' ability to provide patient care.