Introduction
Digitalisation plays an important role in psychiatric nursing, influencing daily work practices, communication, and collaboration. Alongside clinical care, healthcare professionals rely on various digital tools and platforms to support teamwork, coordination, and professional development.
This blog post examines the use of digital tools and social media in psychiatric nursing from a practical perspective. The focus is on five tools: Skype, WhatsApp, ChatGPT, YouTube, and LinkedIn. They are selected based on personal work experience and their relevance to both clinical practice and professional growth. The post discusses how these tools can be utilized in everyday work, considers their benefits and challenges, and reflects on the key elements of responsible and effective digital application use in healthcare.
Skype – Supporting Multidisciplinary Collaboration
At the time of my clinical practice, Skype was still commonly used in healthcare settings, although it has since been largely replaced by Microsoft Teams. It has been an important digital tool in my psychiatric nursing work, particularly in supporting multidisciplinary collaboration. I have participated in several care planning meetings via Skype together with patients, physicians, and representatives from supported housing services. These remote meetings have made it possible for all relevant parties to attend, even when they are located in different places, which supports continuity of care and shared decision-making.
The use of Skype has significantly improved efficiency by reducing the need for travel and making scheduling easier for both professionals and patients. However, remote meetings also have limitations. Technical issues, such as connectivity problems, can disrupt communication, and virtual interaction does not always fully capture non-verbal cues or the emotional atmosphere present in in-person meetings. Overall, Skype proved to be a valuable tool in psychiatric nursing practice by enabling flexible and effective collaboration.
WhatsApp – Team Communication and Shift Management
WhatsApp has been widely used in several of my workplaces as a tool for communication within the work team. In practice, it has been especially useful for managing acute shift changes and strengthening staffing levels when unexpected situations arise. In psychiatric care, additional staff may be needed at short notice, for example when a patient requires one-to-one observation, which ties one nurse to remain with the patient. In such situations, WhatsApp is a convenient tool, as messages sent to a group intended for ward staff or substitute workers can quickly reach multiple people at once, allowing for a rapid response to staffing needs.
In my experience, WhatsApp is an easy and effective communication tool because many people use the application actively in their everyday lives. As a result, messages are usually noticed quickly, which supports timely communication within the team. This ease of use has made WhatsApp a practical solution for everyday coordination. However, the use of WhatsApp in healthcare also raises important concerns related to data protection and professional boundaries. For this reason, its use has been limited strictly to non-sensitive information, and patient-related data has never been shared through the application.
In one of my previous workplaces, WhatsApp was replaced with the Signal application, primarily due to data security considerations. This change highlighted the importance of carefully selecting communication tools in healthcare environments. Overall, while WhatsApp can improve teamwork and flexibility, clear guidelines and security awareness are essential to ensure its responsible and safe use.
ChatGPT – Idea Generation and Professional Reflection
ChatGPT is a digital tool that I primarily use as support for idea generation, learning, and professional reflection rather than for direct clinical decision-making. In both my studies and professional development, ChatGPT has been helpful when starting assignments, structuring texts, or exploring new topics related to healthcare and digitalisation. It provides quick overviews and helps identify key themes, which can support independent thinking and further information seeking.
From a professional perspective, ChatGPT can be useful as a supplementary tool for reflecting on work-related questions, developing practices, or gaining a general understanding of complex topics. However, its limitations are also clear. The answers often remain on a general level and may lack depth, clinical context, or up-to-date information. For this reason, ChatGPT cannot replace professional knowledge, clinical experience, or evidence-based guidelines.
In psychiatric nursing especially, clinical judgment, ethical considerations, and human interaction are central to care and cannot be delegated to artificial intelligence. When used critically and responsibly, ChatGPT can support learning and ideation, but its output should always be evaluated in relation to professional expertise and reliable sources.
YouTube – Education and Patient Support
YouTube can be a useful digital tool in psychiatric nursing when used thoughtfully and professionally. It offers a wide range of content related to mental health education, stress management, relaxation techniques, and professional training. Healthcare professionals can use YouTube to access educational videos, lectures, and demonstrations that support continuous learning and professional development.
From a practical perspective, YouTube can also be used as part of patient support. For example, relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, or calming music can help patients manage anxiety and stress. I have personally used relaxation-related music from YouTube with a patient as a method to support stress management and reduce anxiety. In that situation, the content helped create a calmer environment and supported the patient’s emotional regulation.
However, the use of YouTube in healthcare also requires careful consideration. The quality and reliability of content vary significantly, and not all material is evidence-based or suitable for clinical use. Healthcare professionals must critically evaluate content before using it and ensure that it aligns with ethical standards and patient needs. When used responsibly, YouTube can be a supportive tool that complements, but does not replace, professional care and guidance.
LinkedIn – Professional Networking and Career Development
LinkedIn is a social media platform that supports professional networking, career development, and knowledge sharing. I recently created a LinkedIn profile, as it provides opportunities to connect with professionals from healthcare and digital health fields. The platform allows users to follow organizations, participate in professional discussions, and stay informed about current trends, projects, and job opportunities.
In the context of psychiatric nursing and healthcare digitalisation, LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for building professional networks and supporting long-term career development. It also offers a space to reflect on one’s professional identity and to share insights related to work experience and learning. While LinkedIn is not used in direct patient care, it plays an important role in professional growth, visibility, and future employment opportunities.
Self-Evaluation
Working on this assignment helped me better understand how widely digital tools and social media are integrated into psychiatric nursing and everyday healthcare practice. Reflecting on my own work experiences made me more aware of how different digital applications can support communication, collaboration, and professional development when used responsibly. The assignment also strengthened my ability to critically evaluate digital tools, particularly in terms of data protection, ethical considerations, and practical usability.
In addition, this task increased my awareness of my own digital skills and areas where further learning is needed. I realized that while I am comfortable using many digital tools, continuous development and adaptation are essential as technologies evolve. Overall, the assignment reinforced my interest in healthcare digitalisation and highlighted the importance of balancing technological solutions with human interaction and professional judgment in psychiatric nursing.