The Insider’s Guide to Nurses and the Internet

Results from a 2010 survey indicate that nurses ( … as well as physicians! ) are about a year behind the general public in adopting social media. 87 percent of nurses reported using the Internet for professional reasons according to the study from Nicholson Kovac, Inc. 77 percent have visited Facebook and a quarter has visited LinkedIn. They study also found that only 11 percent nurses use Twitter, compared to 20 percent of the general population.

Results from a 2010 survey indicate that nurses ( … as well as physicians! ) are about a year behind the general public in adopting social media. 87 percent of nurses reported using the Internet for professional reasons according to the study from Nicholson Kovac, Inc. 77 percent have visited Facebook and a quarter has visited LinkedIn. They study also found that only 11 percent nurses use Twitter, compared to 20 percent of the general population. Nurses, however, are aware of social media potential with 65 percent planning to use Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIN in the future for professional reasons. Another, more recent 2011 study found that 68 percent of nurses use Facebook. The Springer Publishing Nursing eBook Smartphone Survey revealed that 44 percent have used YouTube but only 11 percent of nurses use Twitter. This survey also found that 27 percent of respondents have downloaded free nursing or medical application. On the flip side, almost half have not downloaded or installed any nursing or medical apps. In addition, the survey found that 68 percent of respondents have not purchased any nursing or medical e-books, while about 31 percent have.

3 other Social Media Sites for Nurses

I have listed helpful social media sites to help potential and professional nurses gain an edge in the healthcare industry ::

1. NurseConnect
2. My Nurse Book
3. Nurse.com