Authors

  1. Lebo, Chelsea MSN, RN-BC, CHSE
  2. Brown, Norma MSN, RN, CHSE

Article Content

During such an evolving time for nursing programs with the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursing laboratory staff needed an easy, reliable, and consistent method to communicate with nursing students. At the onset of remote instruction early in the pandemic, we immediately focused resources on our nursing simulation laboratory Facebook page. Laboratory educators posted resources, online classes, and nursing program updates daily (Supplemental Digital Content, http://links.lww.com/NE/A858, Facebook Use Guidelines). Nursing students enjoyed the convenience of having various study tools at their fingertips, with videos, websites, and articles being the most requested and used items. We used this platform to share virtual options for open laboratory sessions, review classes, and skills demonstrations. Students had transparency into nursing program updates, such as volunteer opportunities, material pickup, and policy changes. Finally, we used the Facebook page as an open forum where students could post questions about their nursing courses and/or simulation. Each course continues to use our Learning Management System for assignments and lecture resources, but these are required and grade dependent. The Facebook page is voluntary and provides the students an opportunity to develop their professional responsibility with respect to lifelong learning. Overall, using social media in a virtual environment facilitated increased communication and resource sharing and is a tool we will continue to use even after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.