In the modern era, smartphones have permeated global societies, functioning as multifaceted communication tools. They facilitate diverse communication methods, including voice, text, imagery and video and grant users access to a myriad of information and services via the internet. In both developed and developing nations, smartphone penetration rates are currently significant and are projected to escalate (Gsma, 2022). For instance, in the Asia Pacific region, the prevalence of smartphone usage is anticipated to rise from 74% in 2021–84% by 2025 (Gsma, 2022). For students, particularly, smartphones have evolved into essential tools, profoundly influencing daily activities and social interactions (Atas and çelik, 2019; Ifeanyi and Chukwuere, 2018).

Smartphones, in the context of modern student life, serve not only as academic resources but also as platforms for communication and entertainment. The younger demographic extensively leverages smartphones for learning, leisure, internet browsing and social networking (Aker et al., 2017). In educational settings, these devices allow students to readily access academic materials, facilitating on-the-go engagement with resources such as pharmacology databases, practice guidelines and interactive assessments. Furthermore, in medical contexts, smartphones assist in accessing medication data, professional guidelines and sharing diagnostic images with peers (Ventola, 2014). However, the pervasive use of smartphones introduces potential detriments. Over-reliance can escalate into public health concerns, termed as Problematic Mobile Phone Use, which is linked with personality dimensions, impulsivity and diminished self-worth (Billieux et al., 2015, Elhai et al., 2020). Established predictors of this addiction encompass depression, anxiety (Organization, 2015) and perceived stress (Mohammadi Benmar et al., 2023; Zhang et al., 2022). Notably, "nomophobia" has emerged, signifying the anxiety associated with potential disconnection from mobile networks (Mohammadi Benmar et al., 2023; Zhang et al., 2022). The phenomenon is typified by an overwhelming desire and dependency on the smartphone, with users struggling to regulate their usage habits.

Nursing students demonstrate diverse usage patterns of mobile devices, with a significant majority (89.3%) using them for e-learning (Vincent et al., 2022). Over half of these students engage with their smartphones for about 5 hours daily and 42% check their phones around 10 times per day (Anand et al., 2022). Given that nursing students, who combine theoretical studies with clinical training, may use smartphones differently from their counterparts in other disciplines, this behavior is noteworthy. Consequently, in clinical settings, constant smartphone use can disrupt patient care and communication, essential for building therapeutic relationships (Gutiérrez-Puertas, 2019). Although literature has delved into the impacts of smartphone use on nursing students, a comprehensive scoping review that holistically addresses the subject remains absent.

Engel's (Engel, 1977) bio-psycho-social model posits that health outcomes are an interplay of biological, psychological and social determinants. This framework can elucidate the detriments of smartphone addiction among nursing students. Furthermore, Brand et al.'s (2016) I-PACE (interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution) model, addressing behavioral addictions, emphasizes the role of person, affect, cognitive and executive in addiction genesis. Integrating these models, this study aims to delineate the perils and risk factors of smartphone addiction in nursing students. Given the unique demands of their profession, the nuanced differences in their smartphone use compared with other student populations necessitate further investigation. As technological advancements and research paradigms progress, this scoping review aims to fill current knowledge gaps and suggest paths for future investigations. It seeks to outline the prevalence of smartphone addiction among nursing students and delve into associated harms and underlying risk factors, drawing insights from established theoretical models.