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Learning Objective 1: describe the purpose and intent of the social network “Nurse Communities” in supporting evidence-based knowledge exchange through technology.
Learning Objective 2: discuss how social networking principles and specific strategies for engagement were utilized to facilitate the use of technology in supporting nursing practice.
“Nurse Communities” supports global collaboration. Through this network, individuals and organizations are able to share their guideline implementation experiences and related resources. Members are able to search the online network to see which best practice guidelines others are implementing, either by topic or by geographic area. They create groups that are focused on specific issues or areas of focus, and invite other colleagues to join in on the discussions and knowledge exchange.
This presentation will highlight the challenges experienced in engaging nurses in utilizing social networking to enhance their practice, and share the strategies that have been effective to date in supporting nurses as knowledge professionals through online communities. Evaluation results will be described - early indications are that “Nurse Communities” has the potential to link nurses towards common goals. The key learnings from this initiative will be shared, and will be of interest to other nurses who are exploring innovative approaches to system-wide knowledge exchange and the integration of technology in practice.