Iranian nursing and midwifery students' attitudes towards information and communication technology: A Cross-sectional Study

Nursing and midwifery students' perceptions and attitudes regarding Information and Communication Technology (ICT) play an important role in their educational activities. However, little information is available about the situation in Iran. This study aimed at determining the attitude of Iranian nursing and midwifery students towards ICT.A cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 Iranian nursing and midwifery students between October and December 2021 using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a personal information form and a standard questionnaire to assess the attitudes of nursing and midwifery students regarding ICT. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16.The great majority of participants (96.6%) had a positive attitude towards Information and Communication Technology. Subscale analysis showed that the highest and the lowest scores were related to Care Value of ICT, and Workload value of ICT, respectively. Students with higher average (GPA) had a more positive attitude towards "Care Value of ICT" (p <0.001) and "Training of ICT skills" (p = 0.007). Significant correlations were found between "Care Value of ICT" and "Training of ICT skills" (rs = 0.699, p < 0.001).Although students' attitudes toward ICT were positive, the subscales “ICT confidence" and "Workload value of ICT" scored low. Educators should improve training in ICT skills in order to strengthen students' attitudes toward technology and increase self-confidence and productivity related to ICT use in learning and clinical practice.