Asian Journal of Research in Nursing and Health

Background: Academic procrastination among nursing students is a growing concern influenced by academic workload, stress, study habits, and digital distractions, affecting their performance and clinical preparation.

Aims: This study aimed to determine the level of procrastination among student nurses in a private college in Iloilo City and examine differences according to year level and sex.

Study Design: Quantitative, descriptive-comparative research design.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in a private college in Iloilo City, Philippines, from January to March 2026.

Methodology: A total of 325 Bachelor of Science in Nursing students were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a 40-item researcher-made questionnaire measuring procrastination in terms of study habits, academic workload, distractions, and task interest. The instrument demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.947). Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results: Results showed that student nurses generally had quite a high level of academic procrastination, especially when it came to academic workload and distraction, whereas moderate levels were only observed in study habits and task interest. This indicates that the respondents are most likely to delay their academic tasks because of an overwhelming workload and the lure of digital and other distractions. Specifically, students showed the greatest tendencies to procrastinate in areas where there were heavy academic demands and frequent opportunities for online engagement, while the lowest procrastination tendencies were found in terms of task interest. First-year students exhibited slightly higher levels of procrastination; however, no significant differences were found when grouped according to year level and sex.

Conclusion: Procrastination is a consistent behavior among nursing students, influenced by academic demands and environmental distractions. Interventions focusing on time management, workload management, and reducing distractions are recommended.