From Likes to Learning: How Social Media and Memes Can Transform Nursing Education

Social media and internet memes have emerged as influential educational tools, transforming communication and learning dynamics among contemporary students. This cross-sectional descriptive study explored perceptions of Spanish nursing students regarding the effectiveness of social media and memes as pedagogical strategies. A total of 373 nursing students participated via an online, self-administered questionnaire distributed through social media platforms and email. Most respondents were women (78%), aged predominantly between 20 and 24 years (69.2%), with younger students reporting greater social media usage, primarily WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok. Overall satisfaction with social media (mean 4.26/5) and memes (mean 4.43/5) as educational resources was notably high, demonstrating significant variation by academic year ( P <0.001). Participants valued these digital tools for enhancing interactivity, fostering enjoyable learning environments, and simplifying complex concepts. The findings indicate strong student endorsement for integrating social media and memes into nursing curricula, reflecting alignment with current generational preferences and supporting ongoing innovation in nursing education.