The background and problem statement centre on the evolution of technology within teaching and learning, which involves undergraduate student nurses, as well as the use of social media as interactive teaching and communication tool. While examining the background to this topic, the researcher recognised a need to gain a deeper understanding of responsible social media use by undergraduate student nurses to the benefit of all the stakeholders, namely the Nursing Education Institution (NEI), applicable health care facilities, the patients and the student nurses. The study starts off with a literature review to peruse what is known about social media and information communication technology by undergraduate student nurses within a Higher Education (HE) environment. Literature shows that nurses in their work environment are not excluded from social media interaction processes. Within this context, social media offers improved contact and communication in general and in the working environment through the internet. The aim of this study is to explore and describe responsible use of social media by undergraduate student nurses. Methodology: The study followed a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design. All-inclusive, probable and purposive sampling (Brink, van der Walt & van Rensburg, 2006:134) was applied to select participants from a population of undergraduate student nurses (N=200, n=39). Prospective participants were informed by the researcher regarding the research by means of a Power Point slideshow and from there prospective participants had to make an informed decision to participate voluntarily in the research. Data was collected by means of an unstructured conversation between the researcher and participants via the real-time, online Chat Room of Sakai 2.9.1. Sakai 2.9.1 refers to an educational software platform which is a Java-based, service-oriented application used in an open source academic community. Sakai 2.9.1 is used within this context as a Course Management System and Virtual Learning Environment. The following questions were asked: “Tell me how you use your social media (e.g. Facebook™, Twitter™, WAYN™, LinkedIn™, WhatsApp™, etc.)”; “How do you access and on which device do you use social media?”, “What is your view of responsible social media use as a student nurse?” Although it was an all-inclusive sample and all members of the population were invited to participate, the sample size was established once the research reached data saturation (Brink et al., 2006:135). Thirty-nine participants (n=39) participated and the analysed results were first confirmed in a focus group. Six (6) main themes where identified, namely: social media as a quick academic reference; the social communication uses of social media; social curiosity; multiple social media registrations, but limited social media use; student nurses’ need for guidelines regarding responsible social media use and a need to share photographs on social media. The final conclusion was that student nurses entered the nursing profession with established social media skill. Yet, student nurses need guidance to divert social media use from a social perspective to social media use within a professional capacity. Recommendations for enhanced responsible social media use by student nurses where formulated. (Word count: 489) / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The background and problem statement centre on the evolution of technology within teaching and learning, which involves undergraduate student nurses, as well as the use of social media as interactive teaching and communication tool. While examining the background to this topic, the researcher recognised a need to gain a deeper understanding of responsible social media use by undergraduate student nurses to the benefit of all the stakeholders, namely the Nursing Education Institution (NEI), applicable health care facilities, the patients and the student nurses. The study starts off with a literature review to peruse what is known about social media and information communication technology by undergraduate student nurses within a Higher Education (HE) environment. Literature shows that nurses in their work environment are not excluded from social media interaction processes. Within this context, social media offers improved contact and communication in general and in the working environment through the internet. The aim of this study is to explore and describe responsible use of social media by undergraduate student nurses. Methodology: The study followed a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design. All-inclusive, probable and purposive sampling (Brink, van der Walt & van Rensburg, 2006:134) was applied to select participants from a population of undergraduate student nurses (N=200, n=39). Prospective participants were informed by the researcher regarding the research by means of a Power Point slideshow and from there prospective participants had to make an informed decision to participate voluntarily in the research. Data was collected by means of an unstructured conversation between the researcher and participants via the real-time, online Chat Room of Sakai 2.9.1. Sakai 2.9.1 refers to an educational software platform which is a Java-based, service-oriented application used in an open source academic community. Sakai 2.9.1 is used within this context as a Course Management System and Virtual Learning Environment. The following questions were asked: “Tell me how you use your social media (e.g. Facebook™, Twitter™, WAYN™, LinkedIn™, WhatsApp™, etc.)”; “How do you access and on which device do you use social media?”, “What is your view of responsible social media use as a student nurse?” Although it was an all-inclusive sample and all members of the population were invited to participate, the sample size was established once the research reached data saturation (Brink et al., 2006:135). Thirty-nine participants (n=39) participated and the analysed results were first confirmed in a focus group. Six (6) main themes where identified, namely: social media as a quick academic reference; the social communication uses of social media; social curiosity; multiple social media registrations, but limited social media use; student nurses’ need for guidelines regarding responsible social media use and a need to share photographs on social media. The final conclusion was that student nurses entered the nursing profession with established social media skill. Yet, student nurses need guidance to divert social media use from a social perspective to social media use within a professional capacity. Recommendations for enhanced responsible social media use by student nurses where formulated. (Word count: 489) / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014