Social media are changing the ways people communicate and influencing their approaches to meeting their healthcare needs. The Institute of Medicine recommends utilization of information technologies to improve the delivery of patient-centered care. Little is known about how nurses have adopted the use of social media, however. The researchers conducted an online survey to provide a preliminary review of the characteristics of nurses who do and do not use social media. Also, nurses' preferences for using six different types of social media were analyzed and reported. Nurses from 43 states participated in this study, and the sample represented mostly advanced practice nurses who utilized the Internet regularly and confidently. About 94% of the participants indicated that they use social media, whereas fewer than 1% of the participants reported that they do not know how to use social media. Among those who use social media, social networking sites (90.33%) and podcasts (76.24%) were the most popular, followed by social question and asking sites (37.86%), blogs (31.85%), Twitter (19.06%), and SlideShare (9.92%). Social media can be a powerful tool to reach an intended audience quickly and globally. More research is needed to understand how nurses utilize social media to improve the delivery of patient-centered care.
Purpose
This study examined factors aligned with advocacy among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) by examining the relationships among demographics, years of RN and APRN experience, education levels, affiliations with professional organizations, perceptions of barriers to practice, political activism, and willingness to speak to the media.
Data sources
This was a secondary analysis of online survey data (N = 884) from APRNs in Florida. All APRNs with an e‐mail address with the state nursing board or a Florida Coalition of Advanced Practice Nurses’ membership organization received an e‐mail requesting their participation to the survey.
Conclusions
Having a high educational level and involvement in a professional organization are each individually statistically associated with perceiving practice barriers, engaging in political activism, and willingness to speak with media. Emerging nurse leaders need an understanding of policy issues, an appreciation of the potential of the profession, and enhanced advocacy skills.
Implications for practice
To address the nation's health needs, APRNs need to recognize practice barriers, develop advocacy skills, and take action for policy changes to enhance the legal authority to practice to full extent of APRNs’ education and training.
Purpose
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase the healthcare personnel (HCP) influenza vaccine uptake at a university student health center.
Data sources
A descriptive design was used. A preintervention survey identified facilitators and barriers to HCP's uptake of influenza vaccine. Based on the results of this survey, four interventions were implemented. The postintervention survey was administered to assess for intervention effectiveness.
Conclusions
The most common facilitators for influenza vaccination uptake on the preintervention survey were as follows: (a) protect self/family, (b) free vaccine, (c) recommended by experts, and (d) convenient vaccination process. The most common barrier was concern about vaccine side effects. Postintervention, the vaccination uptake increased from 71% in 2008–2009 to 77% in 2009–2010. Free vaccine and convenient vaccination process were rated as the most effective interventions. Education and the declination form used for the project were rated less favorably.
Implications for practice
Factors influencing vaccine uptake may be different across practice settings. It is important to identify facilitators and barriers that are unique to health centers to better plan and implement interventions to improve vaccination rates. Furthermore, at a time when resources are limited, it is critical to identify the most effective strategies to maximize outcomes.
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