Ryerson Nursing student Robert Fraser is helping introduce the nursing profession to social media.  Robert runs the Nursing Ideas podcast, and is a recent speaker at the Semi-Annual National Nursing Leadership Conference, where he presented on the topic of social media in nursing.

Taking inspiration from the TED conference, Robert posts video interviews with authorities in the Canadian, and now the international nursing industry, and to the mission of his podcast, spreads ideas to nursing students and nurses.

“I believe that nursing needs to become a more open profession, that shares ideas, inspires innovation and involvement. Nursing needs to strengthen its collective voice, in order for this to happen there must be a stronger internal dialogue to unify the efforts and ideas within the profession. Every nurse does not need to agree with all practices, ideas, or principles, but there should be a basic concept of what is happening within the profession, including the relevant research, resources and thought on various topics.” – Nursing Ideas.ca

Rob is a friend of mine and was kind enough to answer a few questions I had for him about the site and the podcast.  I was especially interested in how he sees other nursing students and nurses adopting social media, and in getting used to learning from podcasts.  Being in a profession where ability to care for a patient is one of the benchmarks for success, I wonder if that sort of personable quality that nurses have might lead them to adopt new communication tools or a richer and more personable learning medium like Rob’s video podcast…

As a nursing student yourself, how are you seeing other nursing students adopting new ways of learning about their profession, like your podcast, and connecting with other nurses and students through tools like Twitter?

Robert: To be honest, the adoption of new technology in nursing is slow. I’m very happy that the this is slowly changing, but podcasting to Twitter, there is not a ton of nursing stuff. There is a slow growth, and also since these technologies are international there is a decent growth in these communities. Even I shouldn’t be taking part in this, I’m just lucky that I have always been a little bit tech-savvy, always enjoy learning and have a wide variety of friends. I never heard of twitter until a friend (@joshdavey) explained a couple things that he used it for, and I was SOLD on the idea. So I joined and went searching for other nurses. Really I think that that is the best part, you don’t have to be physically close to people that are like minded. Now I can just join the online connecting communities like Twitter and tap into those that are taking part in the same communities. I love that when I find a someone I can also see how they talk with, follow or are connected to so the growth of people I am connected to keeps growing.

Since you’ve started Nursing Ideas, has it opened up any opportunities for you?

Robert: That is a difficult question, mainly because there has been a lot of different things that have happened. I jumped in to this whole social media world around the same time of launching so it has been through a variety of different channels, but a lot of different things. As I mentioned before there is not huge adoption of these new technologies, so I have been encouraged and pushed to do graduate studies relating to the topic and how it affects learning (still waiting acceptance). Through twitter I was linked up with a number of people that have been quite helpful, from answer questions, to connecting me to related professors, starting research projects and submitting conference abstract.

I was also told by a professor that I would be submitting to a Semi-Annual National Nursing Leadership Conference. I was accepted before I knew what an honour it was, and go to give a 20 minute presentation on Social Media. There was a lot of questions and I had a lot of people come talk to me during all the networking breaks.. A lot of them didn’t come to my presentation but had heard about it. So I think the idea of using Social Media in nursing is starting to get a bit more traction.

Recently the biggest thing I’m realizing is that running this website has created massive opportunity because I benefit the person I interview because I expose them to a larger audience, nurses/nursing students benefit from being connected to these people, and I benefit from getting the chance to build a personal brand and meet with these leaders in healthcare. Even if I only get a short time with them it is 10-15 minutes they do not forget and then I get to correspond with them afterwards. I really didn’t realize what a great chance [it was] to network and also link people together until I interviewed Tjitze Hoekstra who pointed out this opportunity.

What’s been the most important idea or lesson you’ve learned so far since beginning Nursing Idea

Robert: Another tough question, I have learned a lot. From the skills from doing all of these things (taping, editing, developing, etc) to the life experience and fun that I’ve had. The biggest thing I have learned is if you have an idea that you think is a good one than listen to yourself! Start to develop it, work on it, create it, make it happen! I cannot tell you how far away from where my original thought was, and in 5 years I have no idea what will have evolved. I never would have been anywhere though if I didn’t start. There are so many cool things going and happening, and there is room for a ton more of great ideas and projects, the limiting factor is people and time. So if you get your idea that you think is awesome, then go for it. Even if you fail you will learn a hell of a lot more than you ever will from doing nothing.

For those of you who don’t have an idea or know what you want to passionately pursue, don’t worry about it. You don’t have to know right away, but you should really be trying a lot of things until you do. Read a ton of books, go places, listen to a ton of podcasts/vodcasts, and just expose yourself to anything and everything you might find interesting. Doing this is a great way to know a lot more about the world and helps you to think a bit different, and hopefully you will eventually find something that you can be passionate about.

You can find Robert at Nursing Ideas, and on Twitter @rdjfraser