This is a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent group pre-test and post-test designed to investigate the effects of learning with smartphone video recordings in fundamental nursing practice. General ‘intramuscular injection’ practice for sophomore nursing students was given to the experimental and control groups for two weeks. The effects of the learners’ self-evaluation, fundamental nursing practice competency evaluation, self-efficacy, and learning satisfaction were measured and analyzed using an independent t-test, paired-sample t-test, and ANCOVA. The results indicated that the smartphone video recording practice method, which was applied to nursing students, had significant positive effects on the improvement of fundamental nursing practice competency and learning satisfaction. Therefore, the smartphone video recording method for learning fundamental nursing skills can be considered effective for improving students’ learning and satisfaction in the self-directed learning context.