Media competencies for nurses: A Delphi study

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Health Communication
• Public Health

Background:

• Media significantly influences health awareness, guidance, and policy.
• Nurses are currently underrepresented in media portrayals and engagement.
• Effective media use is crucial for advancing health equity and population health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose essential competencies for nurses to enhance their media engagement skills.
• To equip nurses with the knowledge and abilities to leverage media for health advancement.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi study methodology was utilized, involving successive surveys.
• Seventy nurse media leaders were invited to participate in the initial survey.
• Two rounds of surveys were conducted, with 28 and 17 participants respectively.

Main Results:

• The study identified key competencies for nurses in media engagement.
• These competencies are designed to guide academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and nursing associations.
• The findings provide a framework for developing nurses' leadership and population health skills through media.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need to improve population health outcomes by addressing disparities and promoting health equity.
• Media engagement is a vital strategy for achieving better population health.
• Enhancing nurses' media representation and engagement skills is essential for advancing public health goals.