Thanks to easy access to digital sources of communication, social media is becoming an increasingly effective, wide-ranging tool for nurses who seek apps, information, community, and communication. Beyond these benefits, social media is an essential tool for those who work as advocates for the profession of nursing, both those in the profession and those supporting it.  Social media can be used to share stories, challenges, achievements, and educational accomplishments; introduce nurses and their unique specialties, and in general communicate with the public.

When used thoughtfully and strategically, social media can help nurses advance careers, encourage others to embrace nursing, and elevate the image of all nurses as professionals. Here are a few ways to achieve these goals.
•    Facebook:  By uploading videos and posting photos, you can connect with other nurses and the public on many different levels.  Providing links to positive stories and articles about nursing helps to promote the profession in a positive way.  Sharing anecdotes from your job as well as job opportunities, informs others about happenings in the healthcare profession.
•    Blogging:  Blogs can demonstrate your dedication to your profession and provide encouragement and insights to others. Using a blog, a nurse can discuss current trends in healthcare and share experiences while keeping actual names confidential.  Not only does blogging allow other professionals learn about new trends, it builds camaraderie among the profession, looks good to your employers, and serves as a resource for others interested in nursing.
•    Twitter:  Twitter, by offering a real-time form of communication, has become one of the easiest ways to maintain contact with people, especially in times of crises. Nurses can use Twitter to post public health and safety alerts such as drug recalls or water safety alerts.  Twitter can also be an effective way to get a health-related topic such as flu prevention top of mind.
•    YouTube:  With YouTube, you can help viewers better understand medical concerns, surgical procedures and other health-related issues. YouTube can also be the perfect medium for promoting the difference nurses make “outside of work hours” by sharing their health-related accomplishments and volunteer activities in the healthcare field.
•    Discussion Groups, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, and other RSS Feeds: By following the right social media groups, you can get the latest medical news, find support groups and learn about the latest educational and volunteer activities. From tips on how to cope with workplace stress to information on developing specializations and training programs, these media forums help you to advance and keep up with the latest trends in the healthcare field.
It is important to understand and remember that social media platforms tend to create a false sense of security for people who often believe they are voicing their opinions, engaging in discussions, and posting images under the protection of privacy settings. Remember, anything sent to an individual or posted, even on a closed forum, has the potential to become public. Additionally, deleting statements and images from a social media account does not mean they have been completely removed from the Internet.
For this reason, an increasing number of hospitals, medical facilities, and healthcare employers are implementing social media policies. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) offers a white paper titled “A Nurse’s Guide to the Use of Social Media.” As such, be sure to know your employer’s policies before engaging on a professional level.
Social media is an excellent tool, when used properly, for promoting the profession of nursing and educating the public on what nurses really do. Are you ready to engage?
~Barco’s Nightingales Foundation