Rita Truex Module 2
Barry, J., & Hardiker,
N. R. (2012, March). Advancing nursing practice through social media: A global
perspective. The Online Journal of Issues
in Nursing, 17(3). Retrieved from
http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol-17-2012/No3-Sept-2012/Advancing-Nursing-Through-Social-Media.html
Much of the literature surrounding nurses’ use of social media
focuses on the potential pitfalls of breaching patient privacy, lateral
violence among healthcare workers and failure to maintain professional
boundaries (National Council of
State Boards of Nursing, 2011). The article chosen for this blog post, an
expert opinion piece, does indeed address those same issues but was mostly of
interest to me as it also discussed the opportunities that nurses have for
using social media for positive change and global communication among nurses.
Social media is ubiquitous in our society with Facebook having
nearly a billion users in 2012. Per Barry and Hardiker (2012), social media is
now used as a force for change and to inform, citing the influence Facebook,
Twitter and YouTube played in the politics surrounding the overthrow of dictatorships
in Libya and Egypt in 2010, now known as the “Arab Spring.” For healthcare
purposes, the use of social media can be to inform the public of major health
issues, such as the World Health Organization’s influenza feed on Twitter, the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updates on a variety of health
topics and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Public Health feed.
According to the article, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has been using social media as a tool
to share ideas, trends, advice and innovations. This idea of connecting with
nurses from all over the planet, sharing best practices is in keeping with the
nursing informatics standards of practice of education, collegiality and
collaboration (American Nurses Association
[ANA], 2008). Similarly, the ANA, Sigma Theta Tau International, and various
schools of nursing maintain Twitter feeds as well, updating nurses on issues
such as safe patient handling, nursing education and treatment trends.
The implications for healthcare are enormous as the ability to
reach more people than ever with information can help the public make informed
choices, help nurses increase their knowledge base and can foster innovation in
the delivery of health care from traditional hospital based models to cost-saving
and patient empowering models.
The National Council of the State Boards of Nursing (2011) has
released a white paper with guidance for nurses’ use of social media and all
nurses should become familiar with the pitfalls of social media, but we should
also consider the opportunities that exist to inform the public and ourselves.
Nursing practice will (and should) change to embrace social media and to assist
the public in identifying those resources that are reliable and valid sources
of information.
References
What I learned:
ReplyDeleteThis week it appears I was still reading the Module 1 instructions as I was supposed to comment on databases. As most of my classmates can still not open my blog despite several attempts, I have made it public, in the hopes it will be easier to interact.
Reading my colleagues blogs, I have found that just as there are many EHR programs so are there many types of databases for use in the various practice specialty areas. These seem to mostly be used to ensure compliance with the many regulatory demands healthcare facilities face from the federal government, the state and accrediting agencies. While this seems cumbersome, I have learned that other specialty areas are also being monitored for process measures (which determine whether a health entity is using best practices), specific outcomes and patient satisfaction. We all live by these numbers and I look forward to the day a database can be shared across the continuum of care to enhance patient outcomes.