Social media is turning some Gen Zers interested in becoming a nurse off the profession, according to a new report from the Nurses Marketplace Platform. shift key.
As part of the report, ShiftKey surveyed 1,000 people aged 18 to 26 who are currently working as nurses or who have previously considered becoming a nurse.
The report found that more people in Gen Z could not recall seeing negative social media content about the nursing profession than those who considered becoming a nurse but decided to do so.
In fact, 50% of Gen Zers who did not decide to become a nurse remember seeing a negative post on social media about a patient issue, compared to 44% of those who did decide to become a nurse.
Similarly, 45 percent of young people who were once interested in becoming a nurse and ultimately decided to do so could not recall seeing any social media content about how the job could lead to mental health issues, compared with 39 percent of Gen Zers who became nurses.
According to the report, many potential Gen Z nurses are turning to information shared on media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and X for career advice.
According to a survey by Shiftkey, 66% of Gen Zers considering becoming a nurse use social media for career research, and 16% acknowledge that social media is their most influential source of job information.
The report also found that the majority of content about nursing on social media, especially TikTok, is negative.
As part of the report, ShiftKey analyzed nursing-related content on TikTok from November 2023 to May 2024. Of the 749,000 nursing-related posts ShiftKey found, 64% were negative about the nursing profession and 36% were positive.
ShiftKey argues that a mismatch between TikTok’s content and its algorithms could paint a “distorted and unrealistic” picture of the reality of nursing, potentially alienating future nurses.
In fact, 78% of Gen Zers said they had once considered becoming a nurse but that seeing more positive social media content about the profession may have influenced their decision.
“The influence of social media on Gen Z’s career decisions is undeniable: 43% of Gen Z who use social media to research nursing careers are shocked by what they find, 25% are scared, and 23% are confused,” said ShiftKey CEO Mike Vitek. statement.
The Hill reached out to TikTok for comment on ShiftKey’s report but did not receive a response.
The report comes as the nation grapples with a shortage of nursing care caused by an aging population, burnout and a shortage of nurses who want to work in hospitals and other health care facilities. current situation.
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