Factors Influencing Awareness of Patients’ Private Information Protection among Nursing Students

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of social network service addiction tendency, nursing informatics competency and nursing professionalism on their awareness of patients' private information protection among nursing students, and to provide foundational data for developing educational programs to enhance awareness of patients' private information protection among nursing students. This study was conducted from September 10 to October 6, 2024. Subjects were 242 third- and fourth-year nursing students. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression with the SPSS statistic 28.0 program. The factors influencing awareness of patients' private information protection were experience of patients’ private protection education (β= .32, p<.001), SNS usage period (2 years or more) (β= .23, p<.001), nursing informatics competency (β= .20, p<.001), and nursing professionalism (β= .12, p=.035). The explanatory power of the regression model of these factors was 37.0% (F=13.80, p<.001). Based on the results of this study, in order to form awareness of patients' private information protection for nursing students living in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, it is necessary to develop the ability to utilize nursing information and actively utilize the net function of SNS through real-time access to share new information and form relationships with others as a professional.