Debra M Wolf
Chatham University, USA
Title: Boot camp for nurses: Integrating social media into practice
Biography
Biography: Debra M Wolf
Abstract
Today, evidence exists reflecting the impact the WWW (internet) has in promoting health and wellness. Several studies have identified web-based health promotion programs resulted in statistically significant changes in: improving health status of individuals in regard to sleep, pain, depression and weight; reducing absenteeism in individuals who participated in a web-based worksite health promotion program by 20%, and; significantly effecting health related behaviour. Nursing professionals have the ability to extend their services virtually reflecting the passion and performance modelled by Florence Nightingale in the 1800s. This presentation will introduce nurses and health professionals to the opportunity of extending their presence virtually by using various forms of social media. By extending their presence virtually, nurses can offer synchronize or asynchronized health information, educational tutorials and/or guidance seven days a week, 24 hours a day. With the advancement of technology, the nursing professional is in a key position to stimulate change through use of social media. Nursing professionals can be empowered to use virtual platforms to extend their professional services virtually, impacting outcomes and improving the health and wellness of the population they work with. This presentation will introduce nurses and health professionals on how social media/virtual platforms can be integrated into practice to improve the health and wellness of their patients.