Understanding the current state of nurse leader social media use

Social media plays an increasing role in professional visibility, communication, and advocacy across health care; however, limited research has examined how nurse leaders use these platforms in professional contexts.

To describe current patterns of social media use among nurse leaders, including perceived benefits, barriers, and leadership-specific applications.

A mixed-methods design was used, combining a national online survey distributed through professional networks, organizational listservs, and social media platforms with qualitative analysis of open-ended responses. Descriptive statistics summarized quantitative data, and thematic analysis was applied to qualitative responses.

A total of 257 nurse leaders participated. LinkedIn was the most frequently used platform for professional purposes, whereas other platforms were used more cautiously or passively. Participants identified networking, knowledge sharing, recruitment, and advocacy as key benefits. Major barriers included time constraints, digital literacy gaps, perceived professional risk, and restrictive organizational policies.

Nurse leaders recognize the professional value of social media but remain constrained by individual, organizational, and structural barriers. Targeted education, clearer institutional guidance, and leadership support are needed to optimize strategic and ethical social media engagement.