Posted: November 27th, 2023

The impact of social media on students studying adult nursing

The impact of social media on students studying adult nursing

Social media are online platforms that allow users to connect with other users, curate lists of connections, and interact with each other within the same online platform [1]. They have diverse applications for nursing education, both formally and informally. Formal learning refers to planned educational experiences, such as courses or assignments, whereas informal learning refers to what is learned through extracurricular activities [2, 3].

In this paper, we will explore how social media can benefit or harm the learning outcomes of students studying adult nursing. We will also discuss the concept of e-professionalism, which is the competence and values expected of professionals when engaged in online communication [4]. Finally, we will provide some recommendations for nursing students and educators on how to use social media effectively and ethically.

Benefits of social media for nursing students

There are several benefits of using social media for nursing students, such as:

– Developing professional networks: Social media can help nursing students to connect with peers, mentors, experts, and organizations in their field of interest [5, 6]. They can also access and share relevant information, resources, and opportunities [7].
– Engaging in the nursing community: Social media can foster a sense of belonging and identity among nursing students, who can participate in online discussions, debates, and collaborations with other nurses [8, 9]. They can also learn from the experiences and perspectives of diverse nursing populations [10].
– Accessing and providing support: Social media can offer emotional, academic, and clinical support to nursing students, who can seek or offer advice, feedback, and encouragement to their peers [11, 12]. They can also use social media as a third space to support their learning outside of formal institutional structures [13].
– Enhancing their knowledge: Social media can facilitate independent, informal learning for nursing students, who can explore complex topics collaboratively, question-and-answer sessions, and clinical and professional performance tasks [14, 15]. They can also use social media to access updated and evidence-based information from various sources [16].

Risks of social media for nursing students

However, there are also some potential risks in relation to how nursing students use social media, such as:

– Breaching confidentiality and privacy: Social media can expose nursing students to the risk of disclosing sensitive or confidential information about patients, colleagues, or themselves [17]. This can violate ethical and legal principles and damage the trust and reputation of the nursing profession [18].
– Engaging in unprofessional conduct: Social media can tempt nursing students to post inappropriate or offensive content that may reflect poorly on their character or competence [19]. This can include cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, defamation, or plagiarism [20].
– Facing misconduct investigations: Social media can trigger complaints or allegations against nursing students for breaching professional standards or codes of conduct [21]. This can result in disciplinary actions, such as warnings, suspensions, or exclusions from their studies or the professional register [22].

E-professionalism on social media

To avoid these risks and maximize the benefits of social media for their learning and practice, nursing students need to adhere to the concept of e-professionalism. E-professionalism is defined as the competence and values expected of professionals when engaged in online communication [4]. It involves being respectful, responsible, accountable, honest, ethical,
and courteous online [23].

Some strategies that nursing students can use to demonstrate e-professionalism on social media are:

– Reviewing the policies and guidelines of their educational institution, regulatory body, employer, and social media platform regarding online communication [24].
– Protecting their personal information and privacy settings on social media accounts [25].
– Seeking consent from patients or colleagues before posting any information or images that may identify them [26].
– Refraining from posting any content that may be considered inappropriate or offensive by others [27].
– Citing the sources of any information or ideas that they use or share on social media [28].
– Reporting any instances of unprofessional conduct or misconduct that they encounter on social media [29].

Recommendations for nursing students and educators

Based on the literature review, we propose some recommendations for nursing students and educators on how to use social media effectively and ethically for their learning and practice.

For nursing students:

– Be aware of the benefits and risks of using social media for your learning and practice.
– Be familiar with the policies and guidelines that govern your online communication.
– Be mindful of your online presence and reputation.
– Be respectful and professional towards others online.
– Be critical and selective of the information that you access or share online.

For educators:

– Recognize the potential of social media for enhancing the learning outcomes of your students.
– Incorporate social media into your curriculum design and delivery.
– Provide guidance and support to your students on how to use social media appropriately.
– Model e-professionalism and good online practices to your students.
– Monitor and evaluate the use and impact of social media on your students’ learning and practice.

Conclusion

Social media has diverse applications for nursing education, both formally and informally. It can help nursing students to develop professional networks, engage in the nursing community, access and provide support, and enhance their knowledge. However, it can also expose them to the risk of breaching confidentiality and privacy, engaging in unprofessional conduct, or facing misconduct investigations. Therefore, nursing students need to adhere to the concept of e-professionalism, which involves being respectful, responsible, accountable, honest, ethical, and courteous online. Nursing students and educators should be supported to use social media in a way that capitalizes on its benefits, while minimizing its risks.

Works Cited

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[17] De Gagne JC et al.
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[18] NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing).
A nurse’s guide to the use of social media [Internet].
Chicago (IL):
NCSBN;
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Available from:
https://www.ncsbn.org/NCSBN

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