How Social Media Use can Help (and Hurt) Nurses

Living in a time where social media is deeply intertwined with our daily lives, it is natural for nurses to be inclined to use their favorite platforms on-the-job. While you may have sincere intentions when using social media, there are things that you should consider to avoid complications with co-workers, patients, and superiors. Here are a few ways that social media use can both help and hurt nurses.

Create a Knowledge Base

Nurses find that connecting with people who are in the same field often provides positive support, feedback, and new perspectives. Nursing is a stressful and demanding field, so it makes sense that nurses may want to reach out to other nurses sharing similar experiences. Social media is a great way to communicate with strangers who share interests, and is often an easy tool to exchange nursing ideas and questions.

Facebook is by far the most accommodating for this purpose, as it allows users to create and join groups and attend events where people who share interests can interact. WhatsApp is another great tool to keep in touch with people from around the world for free.

Organize Information

Social media is a great tool for organizing useful information in an easily accessible and timely matter. Collecting valuable and dependable data and placing it in one place is much more efficient than having to constantly research and search through multiple sources for work-related questions and information. Pinterest and Tumblr are social media platforms that make storing pertinent data easy and fun!

Engage In Conversation

There is no doubt that engaging in deep, professional conversations with colleagues, particularly colleagues in other locations, grows one’s knowledge and furthers one’s growth in the field. As participants in one of the world’s most demanding professions, nurses greatly benefit from using social media to gain new perspectives and receive emotional support. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook encourage easy conversation between users from all over the globe.   

Risks

Although these are all examples of how social media can aid nurses in their professional pursuits, using these tools can also hurt nurses if they do not use proper discretion about the information they provide and receive online. Keep in mind that much of the information shared online is incorrect or exaggerated. Working in the medical field, it is crucial to be entirely accurate and sure about treatment options and executions. Researching ideas is great for knowledge building; however, must should never be taken as fact unless you thoroughly conduct your own investigation. Always communicate questions, doubts, and concerns with your superiors, and be sure to engage in social media activity only on your personal time.

Using social media for nursing-related matters can have positive and negative consequences. Make sure you are aware of when, where, and how you are using these tools so that those around you do not misconceive your actions. At Ardor Health Services, we have many  job listings that will help you find the professional healthcare job that works for you.