Alharbi M, Kuhn L, Morphet J. The relationship between social media usage by undergraduate nursing students and development of their professional identity: A correlational study.
NURSE EDUCATION TODAY 2022;
112:105337. [PMID:
35378417 DOI:
10.1016/j.nedt.2022.105337]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
How nursing students perceive themselves as potential nurses in the future is defined as their nursing professional identity. Many undergraduate nursing students present positive attitudes regarding the use of social media. However, the influence of social media usage by undergraduate nursing students on the development of their professional identity is yet to be determined.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between social media usage by undergraduate nursing students and the development of their professional identity.
DESIGN
Descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study.
SETTING(S)
Two universities in western Saudi Arabia.
PARTICIPANTS
Undergraduate nursing students who used social media.
METHODS
An online questionnaire was designed, and its contents were validated. It was then distributed via a Qualtrics link to students' email addresses and via social media between 4th September 2019 and 28th October 2019. Descriptive analysis including frequencies, percentages, medians, and interquartile ranges were reported. Additionally, a number of non-parametric tests were conducted to investigate the relationships in question.
RESULTS
In total, 484 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The participants who used social media for educational (p = 0.004), or for professional purposes (p = 0.015) had high scores on the PI scale. The professional identity scores were also positively associated among the participants who followed nurses (p < 0.001), shared their nursing experiences (p < 0.001), and acted as societal educators about the nursing profession (p < 0.001) on social media platforms.
CONCLUSIONS
Engagement with social media positively influenced undergraduate nursing students in the development of their professional identity. However, it is notable that the pedagogy of nursing education has been slow to adopt social media into nursing curricula. Nursing students require guidance in terms of how to use social media for their professional development.
Collapse