Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT06343584

Are Personal Smartphones Hurting Work-Life Balance for Nurse Managers?

For leadership positions with only a handful of staff under their direct chain of command, this may not be all-consuming and detrimental to work-life balance. But for NMs with upwards of 100 direct reports, this can make for a never-ending stream of contact points. This study will implement several communication and behavioral strategies to determine how using provided smartphone tools impact work-life balance and professional burnout.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Burnout Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Burnout, Psychological Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center

Mansfield, Texas, 76063, United States

About this study

The study will be conducted over a six-month period using a quasi-experimental Pre-test/Post-test design using Stamm's (2009) ProQOL Scale. This study is being done as a pilot study with a small sample size. NMs will be recruited as volunteers for participation in the study with an anticipated six-month time commitment. Upon receipt of informed consent, participants will be divided into two groups. Group 1 will receive a list of suggested tools used to decrease the amount of smartphone interruptions after business hours (Appendix B) and Group 2 will receive a work-issued smartphone with instructions for use (Appendix C). Both groups will use a pre-post test format designed to compare the outcomes between the two groups. Post-study analysis will compare pre- and post-tests within each group and will compare Group 1 and Group 2 post-intervention outcomes.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Participant must hold the title of Nurse Manager or Interim Nurse Manager at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center
  • Participant must have greater than 50 direct reports

Exclusion criteria

  • Participant expects to separate employment with Methodist Health System prior to the conclusion of the study
  • Participant does not use their personal smartphone to communicate with direct reports

Treatment and study plan

Study will conducted over a six-month period using a quasi-experimental Pre-test/Post-test design using Stamm's (2009) ProQOL Scale.

Other

Group 1 will receive a list of suggested tools used to decrease the amount of smartphone interruptions after business hours (Appendix B) and Group 2 will receive a work-issued smartphone with instructions for use (Appendix C). Both groups will use a pre-post test format designed to compare the outcomes between the two groups. Post-study analysis will compare pre- and post-tests within each group and will compare Group 1 and Group 2 post-intervention outcomes.

Primary outcomes

  1. • Impact of smartphone tool utilization will be measured using a pre-study survey and post-study survey using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale (Stamm, 2009).

    Time frame: 6 months

    • Impact of smartphone tool utilization will be measured using a pre-study survey and post-study survey using the Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL) Scale (Stamm, 2009).

Secondary outcomes

  1. • Participants in Group 1 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D1) the number of tools implemented during the study duration.

    Time frame: 6 months

    • Participants in Group 1 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D1) the number of tools implemented during the study duration.

  2. • Participants in Group 1 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D1) the frequency of tool utilization during the study duration using a Likert scale.

    Time frame: 6 months

    • Participants in Group 1 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D1) the frequency of tool utilization during the study duration using a Likert scale.

  3. • Participants in Group 2 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D2) using the ProQOL Scale.

    Time frame: 6 months

    • Participants in Group 2 will self-report on the post-study survey (Appendix D2) using the ProQOL Scale.

  4. • Responses to the post-study survey from participants in Group 2 will be compared to participants in Group 1 to determine if utilizing a separate work smartphone during business hours has a greater improvement on work-life balance and burnout.

    Time frame: 6 months

    • Responses to the post-study survey from participants in Group 2 will be compared to participants in Group 1 to determine if utilizing a separate work smartphone during business hours has a greater improvement on work-life balance and burnout.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Methodist Health System

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Apr 2, 2024
Registry last updated
Mar 23, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.