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Social Media in Nursing

Social networking has become integrated into the workings of many professions, and is used as a necessary communication tool around the globe. Nursing is no exception and nurses are increasingly using social media to connect with other nurses for deepening their knowledge base and augmenting their practice. With over two billion internet users across the globe, 140 million Twitter® users, and over 950 million people on Facebook®, nurses must recognize the impact of social media (Barry & Hardiker, 2012). Fraser (2011) asserts that if nurses do not learn to engage in effective communication via social media, they will not be relevant and the profession may lag behind others in healthcare (p. xvi).

Legal and ethical issues must be considered prior to engaging in social media. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)lists health insurance portability and accountability act (HIPAA) requirements that prevent disclosure of private health information by healthcare workers(HHS, 2013). Nurses have lost their jobs for posting pictures and discussing patient information on social media (Barry & Hardiker, 2012). The American Nurses Association (ANA)fact sheet(ANA, 2013)includes a fact sheet that urges nurses to consider the detrimental effects of mishandling social media: http://www.nursingworld.org/socialnetworkingtoolkit.

American Nurses Association.(2013). American nurses association social networking principles toolkit. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/socialnetworkingtoolkit

Barry, J., & Hardiker, N.(2012). Advancing Nursing Practice Through Social Media: A Global Perspective. Online Journal Of Issues In Nursing, 17(3),1. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No03Man05

Fraser, R. (2011). The nurse’s social media advantage: How making connections and sharing ideas can enhance your nursing practice. Indianapolis,IN: Sigma Theta Tau International

Department of Health and Human Services (2013). The health insurance portability and accountability act(HIPAA)of 1996 privacy and security rules. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/