Social media utilization in undergraduate nursing education: An integrative literature review

Abstract

Background: Social media use has been proposed as a resource for learning in education across disciplines. The potential of social media use in nursing education programs has been highlighted since they can enhance students’ competency in the use of health information technology applications and meet the learning styles of new generations.

Method: An integrative literature review was performed to identify and describe evidence of how social media platforms have been used in undergraduate nursing education and their impact on student learning outcomes. The literature search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and ERIC databases with search terms related to ‘social media’ and ‘nursing education.’

Results: The review and analytic process identified 10 studies that used the following social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube. These social media applications have been integrated into nursing courses as a platform for discussions, instant messaging in clinical settings, skills videos and demonstrations, and other assignments and collaborative learning.

Summary: Social media use as a teaching pedagogy within courses promoted interactivity and enhanced learning by assisting students in acquiring greater knowledge and skills in nursing-related topics.