Education and the World Wide Web in Nursing Professional Education and the World Wide Web
The World Wide Web has become an indispensable resource for nurses, offering a vast array of tools and platforms to enhance practice, education, and professional development. Nurses can access numerous online resources, such as bibliographic databases, continuing education modules, online journals, and patient education materials, all aimed at advancing professional practice. Many nursing organizations, educational institutions, and publishing companies have established websites that act as central hubs for information and services. These sites cater to the diverse educational needs of nurses, offering resources on various aspects of healthcare and professional growth.
In addition to professional development, many websites serve a dual purpose by providing educational materials for both healthcare professionals and consumers. Some websites have dedicated sections for each group, while others allow users to freely navigate between professional and consumer content, encouraging healthcare providers and patients to engage with information that suits their needs.
Due to the dynamic nature of the internet, the World Wide Web constantly evolves, with new sites being created and older ones being updated or removed. This constant change ensures that the educational opportunities for nurses on the web are always expanding.
Social Media or Web 2.0 in Nursing Education
Web 2.0, commonly known as social media, has revolutionized communication by enabling individuals to create, share, edit, and interact with online content in real time. Social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube have experienced tremendous growth, transforming how people connect and exchange information. In 2005, only 7% of Americans used social media, but by 2015, that number had skyrocketed to 65%, making it a mainstream form of communication (Perrin, 2015).
In healthcare, social media has proven to be an effective tool for disseminating information, raising awareness, and engaging with a global audience. It allows healthcare professionals to quickly share updates, gather public perceptions on health issues, and collaborate with other users in real-time. For instance, patients can now find online reviews of hospitals, watch medical procedures on YouTube, and participate in support groups like Hystersisters.com for information and emotional support during their healthcare journeys.
Social media’s role in healthcare is evident in the active presence of over 1,600 hospitals in the U.S. on platforms like Facebook and YouTube, managing more than 6,500 social media sites (Mayo Clinic, 2017a). The Mayo Clinic has taken a leadership role in advocating for the use of social media by healthcare organizations. In 2010, they established the Center for Social Media, which provides healthcare professionals with webinars, blogs, and best practices for leveraging social media in healthcare. The center also offers a certification course on the use of social media in healthcare (Mayo Clinic, 2017b).
For nurses, social media offers a powerful set of tools to educate patients, network with other healthcare professionals, and promote professional development. It provides a platform for peer-to-peer learning, sharing best practices, and staying informed about the latest developments in healthcare. Nurses can use social media not only to educate their patients but also to collaborate with colleagues and participate in global conversations about health.
Blogs and Nursing Education
Blogs, or “web logs,” have become a popular way for individuals and professionals to share information, opinions, and experiences on various topics. Blogs are dynamic platforms that can include multimedia such as images, videos, and links, fostering public interaction through comments and discussions (Knapp, 2017; Maag, 2005). Health-related blogs cover a wide range of topics, from personal stories of illness and recovery to professional commentary on healthcare trends.
The popularity of blogs has grown rapidly. In 2006, there were approximately 12 million blogs in the U.S., with an estimated 57 million people reading blogs. By 2020, it is projected that 31.7 million Americans will update a blog at least once per month (Statista, 2017). In healthcare, about 35% of internet users in the U.S. have read someone else’s commentary on a health issue, while 4% have contributed their own comments (Fox, 2011).
Health-related blogs can be invaluable tools for healthcare consumers seeking information on specific conditions. A Google search for “breast cancer blogs,” for instance, yields hundreds of blogs that range from personal narratives to informative posts about treatment options. Nurses and healthcare professionals also contribute to these blogs, providing expert insights on health issues and offering a professional perspective (Lippincott Nursing Education, 2017; Nurse Journal, 2014).
However, with the rise of blogs, it is essential to assess the credibility of the information presented. Patients should be encouraged to critically evaluate blog content, paying particular attention to the author’s credentials and the reliability of the sources referenced. For nurses who use blogs to educate patients, it is essential to regularly update the content and ensure that the information shared remains relevant and accurate.
Given the time commitment required to maintain a blog, nurses should periodically evaluate the blog’s readership, its impact, and whether it continues to meet the educational needs of its audience (Adams, 2011; Knapp, 2017).
Wikis and Nursing Education
Wikis are collaborative websites that allow multiple users to contribute to and edit content. The term “wiki” is derived from the Hawaiian word for “quick,” reflecting the ease and speed with which users can add and modify content. Unlike blogs, which are often authored by a single individual, wikis are inherently collaborative, allowing users to collectively create and maintain a resource.
Wikipedia, one of the most well-known wikis, exemplifies how a group of contributors can come together to create a comprehensive source of information. Wikis can host a variety of media types, including text, images, videos, and audio, making them an engaging and interactive platform for education (Erardi & Hartmann, 2008).
In healthcare, wikis are promising tools for both patient and professional education. For instance, WikiMD (http://www.wikimd.org) is a free medical encyclopedia moderated by healthcare professionals, offering a range of information on health, wellness, and weight loss. Patients and healthcare providers alike can use wikis to access accurate, up-to-date information from a variety of sources.
Wikis are also valuable tools for professional education, particularly in nursing. Educators can use wikis to facilitate group projects, encouraging collaboration and the sharing of ideas on specific topics (Trocky & Buckley, 2016). Wikis can be either open to the public or restricted to a specific group of users, depending on the needs of the community. For example, a nursing professor might create a private wiki for her students to collaborate on building a resource manual for evidence-based practice in a clinical setting.
The asynchronous nature of wikis allows contributors to add or edit content at their convenience, making them a flexible tool for collaboration. Wikis also encourage an ongoing dialogue between contributors, allowing information to be continually updated and refined.
Conclusion
The World Wide Web has opened up vast opportunities for nursing education and professional development. From traditional educational resources to social media platforms, blogs, and wikis, nurses now have access to a wide range of tools to enhance their learning and practice. The integration of these digital resources into nursing education has transformed how nurses learn, collaborate, and engage with patients and colleagues.
Social media platforms, in particular, have empowered both healthcare providers and consumers by facilitating real-time communication, information sharing, and professional networking. Blogs and wikis offer additional avenues for disseminating knowledge and fostering collaboration, helping nurses stay informed about the latest developments in healthcare.
As digital communication tools continue to evolve, nurses must remain adaptable, incorporating new technologies into their practice and teaching methods to meet the changing needs of patients and healthcare professionals. The web offers boundless possibilities for learning, collaboration, and innovation, making it an essential resource for the future of nursing education.