Master’s student publishes social media guide for nurses

2 May 2011

Rob Fraser, MN class of 2011, advocates the use of social media to connect and share ideas with nurse colleagues. He’s led discussions, launched a website (nursingideas.ca) and, most recently, written a book to encourage fellow nurses to become more active in technology.

Fraser’s newly released guidebook is titled The Nurse’s Social Media Advantage: How Making Connections and Sharing Ideas Can Enhance Your Nursing Practice and is published by The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI). This is the only book about social media tailored specifically to nurses.

The Nurses’s Social Media Advantage is meant to help nurses begin to see the potential of the quickly emerging set of online and digital tools. In nursing and health care, there has been a lot of attention paid to risk with little balanced consideration of the benefit,” says Fraser. “The book is meant to help those unfamiliar with social media learn about the basic tools and teach individuals who do know about these tools how to use them to advance their career and the nursing profession.”

This third book in the Nurse’s Advantage series explains how social media impacts patients and the health care community, and why nurses need to be at the forefront of this new technology. With the vital role nursing plays in health care, nurses cannot afford to fall behind. Social media provides exciting possibilities for networking, creating content, finding and sharing information, and collaborating to create a global nursing network.

Whether you’re new to social media or looking to effectively network and differentiate yourself, The Nurse’s Social Media Advantage can help you discover the tools you need to accomplish your goals. Fraser covers the most basic elements, such as email, to best practices, such as tips for creating quality content. It also explores various platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging.

In 10 chapters, Fraser comprehensively addresses the following topics:

  • Laying the foundation
  • Understanding the building blocks of social media
  • Privacy, disclaimers and professional issues
  • Internet access improvement
  • Dealing with overload
  • Developing online reputation
  • Sharing knowledge
  • Creating quality content
  • Building your online network

The information presented is easy to understand, discussing everything related to social media from sharing your knowledge to assessing your legal risks. Other professions have leveraged online tools to their benefit and Fraser is promoting the same advantages for the field of nursing.

Fraser became a social media activist because as an undergraduate he was frustrated with the lack of accessible information about nursing. Now he’s a nurse passionate about how technology can change the way we share information.

The book is available for purchase online through Nursing Knowledge International for US $24.95

Recommendations:

“The need for nurses to be savvy online is just as important as being literate. The Nurse’s Social Media Advantage will propel a new breed of nurses who can intelligently share their experiences, collaborate with other health care professionals, and more easily make the difference in patients’ lives that all nurses hope to do.”

–Phil Baumann, BSN, RN
Founder, HealthIsSocial.com, RNchat, and MDchat
Advisory Board Member, Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media

“If the words social media sound like words from another language, then this book will serve as a translation tool. It contains clear, concise explanations and direction to navigate your way into the exciting and absorbing world of social media and social networking. ”

–Judith Shamian PhD, RN, FAAN
President and CEO, VON Canada
President, Canadian Nurses Association

“Here comes the future, so get with it! Rob Frasers The Nurse’s Social Media Advantage will be your guide to the universe of social media in your nursing practice.”

–Mary Ferguson-Par, PhD, RN, CHE
Vice President, Professional Affairs and Chief Nurse Executive
University Health Network

The Nurse’s Social Media Advantage is a must-have book for nurses who want to get up to speed with current technology. Rob Fraser walks us through the basics of how to be tech-savvy health care professionals, whether from a home laptop, a work computer on a nursing unit, or a smart phone. Throughout the book, he emphasizes patient confidentiality, privacy, and advocacy, as well as how to promote the nursing profession through the contribution of our own best practices and knowledge.”

–Patrick Hickey, DrPH, RN, CNOR
Clinical Assistant Professor
University of South Carolina College of Nursing
Author, 7 Summits: A Nurses Quest to Conquer Mountaineering and Life