Understanding the benefits and risks of nursing students engaging with online social media

Social Media Use and Psychological Distress Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Review

BACKGROUND

Undergraduate nursing students experience high stress and use social media sites at high rates. Yet, there is a paucity of literature focused on understanding the association between social media use and psychological distress among undergraduate nursing students.

METHOD

Guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA), a systematic review was conducted on the association between social media use and psychological distress among undergraduate nursing students.

RESULTS

Ten articles met the inclusion criteria. Most of the included studies used cross-sectional designs. The findings indicated that undergraduate nursing students who followed social media sites were more likely to report symptoms of psychological distress, particularly significant depressive and anxiety symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Undergraduate nursing students who use social media are likely to experience psychological distress. Combined interventions focused on minimizing social media use and reducing academic stress may help foster the psychological health of nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(8):540-545.].

Mental Disorders, Social Media Addiction, and Academic Performance in Romanian Undergraduate Nursing Students

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate social media addiction in Romanian undergraduate nursing students and its association with academic performance, depression, and anxiety. Methods: We used a cross-sectional online survey to collect data among nursing undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess social media addiction, depression, and anxiety, respectively. Results: A total of 90 nursing students participated in the study, of which 82 (91.1%) were females and 81 (90%) were of Romanian ethnicity. The median age of participants was 21 years (18-40). Males showed higher BDI total scores, SMAS-SF total scores, and STAI scale A state anxiety compared to females, and females showed higher STAI scale A trait anxiety compared to males, although these results were not statistically significant. Also, we found no significant difference in these variables between participants from different study years. Participants with no or mild depression had a significantly higher academic performance (p-value = 0.001), lower SMAS-SF (p-value = 0.004), and lower STAI scores (p-value < 0.001) compared to participants with borderline, moderate, or severe depression after performing multivariate regression analysis. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that depression was significantly associated with social media addiction, anxiety, and lower academic performance in Romanian undergraduate nursing students.

UK midwives' perceptions and experiences of using Facebook to provide perinatal support: Results of an exploratory online survey

Seeking support from Facebook groups during pregnancy is now widespread and social media has been widely used by the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) maternity services to communicate with service users during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, little is currently known about midwives' attitudes towards, and experiences of social media in practice. Research is needed to understand barriers and solutions to meeting mothers' expectations of online support and to improve services. This study explored midwife involvement in Facebook groups, exploring experiences and perceptions of its use to communicate with and support mothers. An online survey consisting of open and closed questions was completed by 719 midwives and student during August- September 2020. Quantitative questionnaire data was analysed descriptively using SPSS v26. Qualitative data gathered from free text responses was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Few participants were involved in providing Facebook support, and most of these were unpaid. There was a consensus on a range of benefits for mothers, but widespread concern that engaging with mothers online was a personal and professional risk, underpinned by a lack of support. Experience of being involved in midwife moderation increased belief in its benefits and reduced fear of engaging online, despite a lack of renumeration and resources. Midwives and students felt they were discouraged from offering Facebook support and sought further training, guidance and support. Although limited, experiences of providing Facebook group support are positive. Perceptions of risk and a lack of support are significant barriers to midwives' involvement in using Facebook groups to support mothers. Midwives seek support and training to safely and effectively engage with mothers using Facebook. Engaging with mothers via social media is embedded in UK national policy and NHS digital strategy, and progress is needed to fulfil these, to improve services and meet mothers' expectations. Midwives' experiences suggest extending opportunities to provide Facebook support would benefit midwives, services and families. Consultation to revise local policy to support midwives and students in line with strategic goals is recommended.

The relationship between social media usage by undergraduate nursing students and development of their professional identity: A correlational study

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.

Did introducing Twitter and digital professionalism as an assessed element of the nursing curriculum impact social media related incidence of 'Fitness to Practise': 12-year case review

Many educators argue for the benefits of nursing students engaging with social media but some have concerns about inappropriate use. In 2014, we introduced Digital Professionalism, a mandatory curriculum innovation including assessed Twitter use, for nursing but not midwifery students. British nursing students who display unprofessional behaviour are subject to 'Fitness to Practise' hearings. We aimed to use routinely collected data to see if inappropriate social media use had increased from introducing Twitter to the curriculum. We used data (2008-2019) on Fitness to Practise cases for nine completing cohorts comprising 4398 nursing and 338 midwifery students. We compared annual Fitness to Practise incidence rates related to social media between cohorts with and without mandatory Twitter. There was no difference in the number of nursing students involved with social media cases before (7/2636 (0.3%)), and after (10/1762 (0.6%)) the introduction of Twitter. Nursing students, after introduction of Twitter, were no more likely than midwifery students (no introduction of Twitter), to misuse social media. Fitness to Practise hearings related to social media were highly infrequent. Our study supports the argument that benefits for most nursing students of introducing professional use of social media are not negated by increased inappropriate use.

Utilization and professionalism toward social media among undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Social media has become an integrated part of nursing profession, requiring nursing students to develop confidentiality and professional fitness to practice. The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' usage, professionalism and attitudes toward social media.

METHODS

A cross-section study was conducted online among undergraduate nursing students (n = 654). Questionnaires of self-directed learning, self-efficacy and usage and views toward social media were administered.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Ethical approval was obtained from the Hubei University of Chinese Medicine.

RESULTS

All participants were social media users. QQ (93.2%) was the most frequently used. 74.5% respondents spent 2-6 h on social media daily. The majority held positive attitudes toward social media. Year group and gender had influence on perceptions and attitudes toward social media. Furthermore, 81.5% students believed that social media positively influenced self-directed learning. Self-directed learning and learning motivation acted as predictors of the attitudes toward social media. Meanwhile, 67.3% students had posted personal photos and videos online, and 82.4% of them did not have privacy setting on social media. In addition,13.8% students attacked others or posted improper photos online. 22.9% participants witnessed improper posts from schoolmates or teachers, such as complaints about schoolmates or teachers (22.2%), foul language (11.1%), violence (3.9%), sexually suggestive photos (2.6%) and patient confidentiality (0.7%). In all, 15.0% respondents accepted "friend request" from patients. A total of 58.2% students were not aware of professional standards of behavior online for health care providers. In addition, 52.3% participants insisted that it is essential to develop social media and professionalism course for nursing students.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students use social media extensively. Some students are at risk of carrying out unprofessional behavior which have detrimental effects on students' future opportunities. This suggests that best practices and training in nurse education should be implemented to help students to be informed of professionalism.