Making Twitter More Meaningful for Nurses
By ThriveAP Intern and Nurse-in-Training Olivia DeFilippo
Like many people, the first thing I do after waking up each morning is check my Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Once I have finished scrolling through each of these social media outlets it is time for me to start my day. Then, throughout the day, I find myself writing on my life & style blog, watching YouTube videos and pinning new recipes and DIY projects on Pinterest.
Social media is all around us and this popular form of communication can be interesting, informative, and entertaining…but it doesn’t have to be as mind numbing and unproductive as many people think. We don’t really need to spend our time scrolling through our best friend’s pictures from the beach or a wedding. There are many other productive ways to use social media to help you become a more informed and knowledgeable member of the nursing profession.
By following these unique Twitter accounts you can scroll through your personal newsfeed and make your social media binge more useful, helpful and rewarding. These accounts should serve as a tool to help you throughout your nursing career:
- @informednurse– Follow this account for tips and resources that are useful for both nursing students and registered nurses. By keeping informed you can improve your nursing skill set.
- @minoritynurse– The Minority Nurse magazine aims to diversify the nursing community. This Twitter handle helps encourage minorities to join the nursing profession.
- @AmJNurs– This is the official Twitter account of the American Journal of Nursing and serves as a terrific way to follow evidence-based and peer-reviewed journals and news articles that pertain to nursing. With this account, you know that you are getting credible and very beneficial information.
- @nursingideas– Hosted by an RN, @nursingideas provides a forum for nurses to ask questions, share photos, get advice and work together to improve the healthcare and nursing community. Using this account is a great way to connect with other nurses who may be encountering the same everyday struggles, triumphs and challenges that you as a nurse experience as well.
- @AmerNurse2day– The official page of the American Nurses Association, this Twitter account is an effective and fun networking tool for communicating with other nurses. Use it to participate in chats and receive helpful advice.
- @ScrubsMagazine– This account allows you to sty up-to-date on all live chats and articles published by Scrubs Magazine. This is a great place to get your fill of some very creative nursing humor and for advice on a multitude of topics.
- @NYTimesHealth– Stay tuned in to world-wide health new with The New York Times Although not specific to nurses, this account provides relevant information that could prove beneficial to you at school and work.
- @ReviewNursing– A must for all nursing students! @ReviewNursing tweets NCLEX questions and answers. You may use their hashtag (#NCLEX) to join in on a tweet or get an explanation for the answer to a practice test question.
- @CDCgov– This Center for Disease Control account provides the best resource available for those seeking information about diseases as well as how to manage their spread.
When it comes to Twitter, the best advice I can give is to use your time wisely! Time is limited. Find a balance with the way you consume and participate in social media and use this plethora of available information not only as your source of celebrity news or for keeping up with your friends, family, or even the Kardashians, but also in a more professional, intellectual and productive way…one to help you improve as a nursing student or medical professional.
And, don’t forget to follow @ThriveAP, of course!
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