Effects of Social Media Stress and the Implications for Quality of Life of Nurses
Social media is a powerful tool that can be used for various purposes, such as communication, education, entertainment, and advocacy. However, social media can also pose some challenges and risks for nurses, who need to balance their professional and personal identities online. Social media stress can affect the quality of life of nurses in different ways, such as:
– Privacy and confidentiality issues: Nurses have a duty to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patients and coworkers, as well as their own. However, social media can make it easy to unintentionally or intentionally disclose sensitive information that can have legal, ethical, or reputational consequences. For example, posting a picture of a patient or a workplace situation, commenting on a patient’s condition or treatment, or identifying one’s employer or workplace can violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) or the employer’s social media policy. This can result in disciplinary actions, termination, lawsuits, or loss of license.
– Professional boundaries issues: Nurses have to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with their patients and coworkers, as well as their online contacts. However, social media can blur the lines between professional and personal relationships, which can lead to role confusion, role conflict, or role strain. For example, accepting or sending friend requests to patients or their families, engaging in online discussions about work-related issues, or sharing personal opinions or information can compromise the nurse-patient relationship or the nurse’s professional image.
– Psychological and emotional issues: Nurses are exposed to various sources of stress in their work environment, such as workload, time pressure, interpersonal conflicts, ethical dilemmas, or moral distress. Social media can add to this stress by creating unrealistic expectations, comparisons, or judgments about oneself or others. Social media can also expose nurses to negative feedback, cyberbullying, or online harassment from their online contacts or the public. These factors can affect the psychological and emotional well-being of nurses, such as causing anxiety, depression, burnout, compassion fatigue, or reduced self-esteem.
– Physical and behavioral issues: Nurses need to take care of their physical and behavioral health in order to cope with the demands of their profession. However, social media can interfere with this by affecting the sleep quality, physical activity, nutrition, or substance use of nurses. Social media can also distract nurses from their work tasks or personal responsibilities, which can affect their performance or productivity. These factors can affect the physical and behavioral health of nurses, such as causing fatigue, insomnia, obesity, addiction, or impaired judgment.
Therefore, social media stress can have significant implications for the quality of life of nurses. It is important for nurses to be aware of the potential benefits and risks of social media use and to adopt strategies to manage their social media stress effectively. Some of these strategies include:
– Following the social media guidelines and policies of their employer and professional organizations
– Reviewing their privacy settings and online content regularly
– Limiting their social media use and avoiding it during work hours
– Seeking positive and supportive online interactions
– Seeking professional help if needed
References:
: Wilson B. Nursing Social Media Do’s and Don’ts for 2023. Nurse.org. https://nurse.org/articles/nurses-social-media/. Published December 14th 2022.
: NCSBN. A Nurse’s Guide to the Use of Social Media. https://www.ncsbn.org/brochures-and-posters/nurses-guide-to-the-use-of-social-media.
: ANA. Combating Stress. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/combating-stress/.
: Chester County Hospital. How is Social Media Impacting Your Stress Levels. https://www.chestercountyhospital.org/news/health-eliving-blog/2020/march/how-is-social-media-impacting-your-stress-levels.
