Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the rate of smartphone use by residents during the conduct of anesthesia, and their attitude towards smartphone use in clinical settings.
Material and Method: The study consisted of two phases. The first, a disguised observation phase, used operating room nurses to record residents’ use of smartphones every 15 to 30 minutes during anesthesia. Anesthesia-related complications were documented at a postoperative visit. The second phase comprised a survey of residents’ attitudes to smartphone use and the clinical consequences of doing so while administering anesthesia.
Results: Smartphones were used during 89 of the 250 anesthetics observed (35.6%). There was no relationship between the use of a smartphone and anesthesia-related complications. Fifty-three of 72 anesthesia residents responded to the questionnaire (73.6%). All owned a smartphone and all admitted to using a smartphone while administering an anesthetic. Most used their smartphone to access the Internet (96.2%, n = 51), including social networks (81.1%, n = 43). The majority felt positive towards smartphone use (94.3%, n = 50), particularly their educational value. A minority reported that smartphones distracted from patient care or impaired their interactions with colleagues.
Conclusion: The rate of smartphone use among anesthesia residents in the operating room is high. Residents’ awareness of the potential for distraction by smartphones during the conduct of anesthesia is low, and should be highlighted as part of their clinical clerkship.

Keywords: Anesthesia conduction, Self-awareness, Cell phones, Handheld computers, Smartphone