A social media intervention to improve hypoglycemia management at a multicenter hospital: a quality improvement pilot for clinical nurses^*

* Research was conducted at: The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Hypoglycemia poses significant risk to inpatients. Nursing management of hypoglycemia is a challenge, despite established best practice guidelines. Social media is an effective tool for sharing information and could overcome barriers to clinical education at a multicenter hospital.

Aims: The purpose of this quality improvement intervention was to create and disseminate social media posts about best practices in hypoglycemia management.

Design: An unmatched pre-and post-survey assessed nursing knowledge of hypoglycemia management.

Methods: Social media posts were created to visually outline the steps for hypoglycemia management over 2 weeks, across a nursing social media platform. We assessed the reach of the posts via Facebook and a survey.

Results: The posts reached 2962 users during the first week, and 1491 users the second week.

Conclusions: A social media intervention can have a substantial reach and distribute information across a multicenter hospital. Additional study is needed to determine what factors could support an increase in nursing knowledge through a social media campaign.

Keywords:

• social media
• nursing
• diabetes
• education
• patient safety
• quality improvement
• survey
• hypoglycemia

ORCID

Filomena De Sousa http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4735-065X

Notes

* Research was conducted at: The Ottawa Hospital, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, Canada.