Evaluating the effects of social networking sites addiction, task distraction, and self-management on nurses' performance.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of social networking sites (SNSs) addiction on nurses' performance and how this relationship was mediated by task distraction and moderated by self-management. This cross-sectional study is designed to empirically test the relationship of SNSs addiction, task distraction, and self-management with the nurses' performance. Data were collected by conducting an online survey on nurses across the world using a web-based questionnaire developed through 'Google Docs' and distributed through Facebook from 13 August 2018 - 17 November 2018. The Facebook groups were searched using the selected key terms. In total, 45 groups were found to have relevance to this research; therefore, request was made to the admins of these groups to participate in this research and to post a link in their groups. Only 19 group admins responded positively by uploading a link of the research instrument on their respective group pages and 461 members of these groups participated in the research. Results of the data collected from 53 different countries indicated that SNSs addiction results in lowering the nurses' performance. This relationship is further strengthened by task distraction introduced as a mediating variable. The results show that self-management mediates the relationship between SNSs addiction and employees' performance. Moreover, the results of the study confirm that self-management reduces the negative impact of SNSs addiction on nurses' performance. Social networking sites (SNSs) addiction and task distraction reduce the nurses' performance, whereas self-management enhances nurses' performance. This study addresses the problem of using SNSs at the workplace and its potential effect on nurses' performance. Results demonstrate that SNSs addiction reduces the performance which is further decreased by task distraction; however, self-management of nurses can enhance the nurses' performance. The research has numerous theoretical and practical implications for hospital administration, doctors, and nurses.