Social Media Tools in Nursing – Opportunities and Challenges

The development of digitalization has significantly changed practices in social and healthcare in recent years. I work as a registered nurse in adolescent psychiatric outpatient care, where I meet youth aged 13–18 with severe mental health disorders. My work centers on planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment together with the young person, their family, and a multidisciplinary team. Digital and social media tools are increasingly part of everyday practice – they can support nursing work and enhance understanding of young people’s worlds, but they also bring ethical and operational challenges.

Currently, I use several digital tools in my daily work. The Apotti electronic health record system is central for documenting, communicating, and retrieving patient information. Services like Maisa and Kanta are essential parts of care – through them, young clients and their parents can view lab results, prescriptions, and treatment information. Remote appointments are conducted using secure, organization-approved platforms. For internal communication, we use email and Teams in compliance with data protection regulations.

In this blog post, I explored five new tools that could potentially be useful in nursing work: Instagram, WhatsApp, Miro, Chat Gbt, and TikTok. Each tool has unique strengths – some support communication and information sharing, while others enable creative work methods or professional development.

Instagram and TikTok are visual platforms where young people (and adults) share images, videos, seek peer support, and follow trends and societal phenomena. From a professional perspective, following these platforms can deepen understanding of young people’s experiences, worries, and identity development. Even if these platforms are not used directly in patient interaction, familiarity with them can improve rapport and show engagement with youth culture.

WhatsApp is a widely used communication app that could be helpful for quick internal communication within a team, for instance, to notify about schedule changes or reminders. While we at HUS do not use it for patient communication, it could be useful for specific project-based group discussions, provided data security guidelines are followed.

Miro is a visual planning tool that supports teamwork and ideation. It could be useful in team meetings or internal development projects to clarify plans, or in visual work with clients. It enables the creation of mind maps or visual goals in a collaborative manner.

ChatGPT, an AI-based tool, supports information retrieval and text drafting. It doesn’t replace professional expertise, but it can aid work processes or clarify content. It’s crucial to always verify the reliability of the information. ChatGPT can also assist in proofreading and language checking.

Successful use of digital tools requires multiple factors. A user’s digital skills and attitude influence how tools are adopted. Training, clear instructions, and organizational support are essential. Technical resources and data security also play a critical role. Barriers may include lack of equipment, restrictions, connection issues, negative attitudes, or weak digital literacy. It’s important to understand the purpose of each tool and recognize what it cannot replace.

Social media use should also be critically evaluated. On the positive side, it improves accessibility, simplifies information sharing, and lowers the threshold for making contact. For many young people, digital communication feels natural and may even be easier than face-to-face interaction. Social media also provides peer support and shared experiences.

At the same time, there is growing concern over social media’s risks and addictive potential. People are easily exposed to comparison, harmful content, and anxiety-inducing algorithms. Data protection and privacy concerns are particularly significant in healthcare, where sensitive information is handled. It’s important to remember that digital tools must not replace human connection. Trust, presence, and empathetic interaction are at the core of the therapeutic relationship – and these are best built face to face.

Deeper Reflection: Exploring New Possibilities with Less Conventional Tools

During the course, I have explored some applications that are not traditionally used in nursing but could offer new opportunities for communication and understanding. One such tool is Mural, a visual collaboration platform that enables shared thinking and ideation. In adolescent psychiatric outpatient care, this kind of tool could support a young person’s participation, especially when verbalizing emotions or thoughts is difficult. With Mural, it would be possible to co-create visual treatment paths, goal maps, or mood diagrams. It could also serve the internal development work of the team, helping clarify shared objectives and planning.

Another interesting option is Pinterest, which might not initially seem like a typical tool in healthcare. However, when working with adolescents, its visual and creative nature could serve as a valuable asset. A young person could collect images, ideas, and moods that reflect their interests, hopes, or concerns. This process could serve as an opener for therapeutic conversations or support self-awareness and identity development.

Such applications could enrich nursing methods and open up new paths for interaction. The most important thing is that these tools are used thoughtfully and purposefully—always with a client-centered approach, respecting data security, and as a complement to human presence, never a replacement for it.

Self-Assessment

This course has been eye-opening and has encouraged me to reflect on digitalization both from the perspective of professional growth and client work. I have learned to evaluate social media tools critically but also to see their potential in supporting nursing work. I believe I will be able to use digital tools more consciously and diversely in the future. At the same time, I recognize that digital competence is a continuously evolving and creative process that requires time, curiosity, and ongoing learning.