By Hannah Ghinn According to the WHO, in 2022 the nurses and midwives made up nearly 50% of the healthcare workforce globally. With this figure in mind, it isn’t hard to imagine that many of these nurses are active on social media platforms, sharing content with their networks ranging from education resources to the realities of working as a nurse.
We analysed the online English language health-related conversations of almost 21,000 nurses across Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube between 01 January 2023 and 31 May 2023. While nurses were active on social media globally, 38% of the conversation occurred in the US and 45% of the conversation occurred in the UK.
To celebrate one other and the profession
On Twitter, nurses were highly active around International Nurses Day which is celebrated on 12th May each year, increasing the conversation level by 135%. Janice Sigsworth, a nurse from London, was among those active on this day, amplifying posts from other nurses celebrating each other and the nursing profession. Hashtags such as #internationalnursesday and #ind2023 were used throughout the conversation. The top three countries active around international nurses day were the UK, the US, and Australia, but the conversation included nurses globally – from Spain to Japan.
On #InternationalNursesDay, I want to give a heartfelt shout-out to my fellow nursing colleagues. You work tirelessly to assist people using our services and wholeheartedly dedicate yourselves to our profession. Whether in hospitals or the community, in health or social care, you… pic.twitter.com/d43VHrXke6
— Acosia Nyanin 💙 (@AcosiaNyanin) May 12, 2023
To call for ‘fair pay’
Another way nurses use Twitter is to discuss and raise awareness of local health policy. Nurses from the UK are active online about the NHS strike actions that are taking place, calling for “fair pay” in the NHS.
Fair pay for Nurses #supportthestrikes💙
— Lizzie (@LizBarrie2) May 30, 2023
To educate their networks
Nurses use LinkedIn as a way of educating their networks on the topics that interest them. Nina Løn, a nurse from Copenhagen, often posts about clinical trials and educational topics including the importance of exercise for both children and adults. Nurses are also involved in conversation about clinical best practice, for example Stephanie Jones-Berry is a voice educating her network in the heart failure space.
Heart failure: how to spot the signs and improve patients’ quality of life
'Nurses working in the community – district nurses, practice nurses & nurses specialising in long-term conditions – all have a role to play’#freedomfromfailure #theFwordhttps://t.co/HL1avfwGH9 pic.twitter.com/1jDKa43miM
— Stephanie Jones-Berry (@StephJonesBerry) January 11, 2022
Nurses use Instagram as an educational tool as well as to share more personal aspects of their lives. One family nurse practitioner from Utah uses Instagram to keep her network educated on topics such as children’s health and the benefits of supplements, such as vitamin B12. She uses Instagram as a platform to create a space that makes healthy living a little simpler and easier.
View this post on Instagram
Nurses who are active users of TikTok and YouTube share informational videos on topics that they are passionate about. One Spanish nurse has a YouTube channel that he uses to share short videos on different medical devices he works with and answers questions for his network.
To discuss life as a nurse
Other nurses use Instagram to talk about the more detailed aspects of their roles. Ruben Duarte Fernandes from Portugal shares the realities of working as a nurse and the sacrifices they must make for their jobs. On International Nurses Day in 2023, he shared a post thanking his peers for their hard work and resilience, sharing the personal cost and intricacies of his role as a nurse, referring to those in the profession as “true heroes” and as playing a “vital role” in healthcare systems.
Julie McFadden, shares informational TikTok videos on aspects of her life as a hospice nurse, including more personal videos showing the ‘rougher’ side of her work as a nurse. However, it is not all negative. One nurse called Ana uses TikTok to put a lighthearted spin on her life as a nurse, keeping her network up to date on her day-to-day routines and health news.
@aniaenfermera Mi súper rutina coreana 💖🤭🤩 #yepoda #beauty #skincare os dejo mi código del 40% de descuento ANIA40 para que os animéis a probar sus productos!
♬ Meditation with natural sounds and music that closes your eyes – Red Blue Studio
Keep learning from nurses on social media
The online global nursing community is one that takes pride in their work and supports peers and colleagues, alongside educating their network on a broad range of topics. We can see this through the increase in level of online activity from nurses around celebratory events such as International Nurses Day.
While nurses do bring a very human perspective to the online conversation in healthcare, they are also actively involved in the conversation around best clinical practice – sharing and engaging in discussions around clinical trial data and clinical guidelines.
Nurses are active on a range of social media platforms, encouraging their networks to live a healthy lifestyle while remaining grounded to the realities of working in such a demanding profession.Get in touch for more insights on nurses and other HCP roles on social media or find more information in our recent webinar: The beginner’s guide to how HCPs use Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn.
