nursingforsocialjustice

The past year has been challenging in terms of connecting in the same way through conferences, community of practice meetings, education sessions and research exchange forums. Many of us might be feeling additional pressure to work more to cover increasing staff shortages, and in areas outside of our immediate expertise, while entire teams are pivoting and the clinicians within them are being re-deployed to different areas of care that previously may have been outside of their comfort zone. We are stretching ourselves to collectively get through this crisis, but it is taking a toll. At times it is difficult to know who to turn to for support personally, but also professionally.

I am a member of a Facebook group that is open to nurses. It’s not designation specific. It’s a Facebook group. My awareness of a gap is heightened when sometimes group members post practice related questions. Opinions of people in a Facebook group can be informative but they shouldn’t replace nurse educators, professional practice leads, clinical nurse specialists, advanced practice nurses, clinical pharmacists, and the clinicians, educators, leaders who are immediately accessible (or should be) when one has a clinical practice related question.

On Facebook we don’t know, with certainty, that the person we think we are communicating with is who they say they are; we do not even know with certainty that they are a real person.

Don’ts

• Don’t take your practice questions to a Facebook group and expect that the evidence you are collecting in that forum is more than individual preference.

Dos

• Do learn who the educators, and clinical leaders in your practice area are.
• Do build relationships with the interdisciplinary team on your unit/workplace and those within the organization, and those within your associations to understand and recognize where to go when you have those questions.

Have you been to the Canadian Nurse Association website lately?

Peace,

Michelle D.