Abstract
Introduction: Nursing education must adapt to technological changes because of evolving clinical practices, growing volumes of digital information, and increasingly diverse learning needs. Traditional pedagogical approaches often fall short in addressing the expectations of contemporary learners who are accustomed to interactive, flexible, and technology-mediated modes of engagement. As a result, teachers are integrating innovative, evidence-based teaching techniques to strengthen learning outcomes, enhance student motivation, and support the development of professional identity in digital contexts. This paper aims to investigate existing interventions that use innovative techniques, like social media, in nursing education and to assess their effectiveness.
Methods: A systematic literature review was performed in November 2025. Literature was searched in PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science using the search string. Literature was analysed and narratively synthesized following the PRISMA guidelines (Page et al., 2021). Literature review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024589825). Quality appraisal was performed using the JBI checklists (Aromatatis et al., 2022).
Results: Based on 34 included studies, predominantly positive effects on engagement, learning, and professional identity development were found, but also challenges related to ethical issues. The main themes include: (1) student engagement and learning enhancement (Vizcaya-Moreno & Pérez-Cañaveras, 2020), (2) development of digital and professional identity (Giroux & Moreau, 2022), (3) resilience, peer support, and emotional expression, (4) platform-specific preferences and digital literacy (Terzi et al., 2019), and (5) ethical risks, and inconsistent implementation (Farsi, 2021).
Discussion: This review suggests the potential of social media as an educational tool in nursing education, promoting a more interactive, and accessible learning environment. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of social media on the clinical competencies of nursing students, and investigate the potential for emerging technologies, for instance augmented and virtual reality, to further enhance interactive and experiential learning opportunities.
Notes
References:
Aromataris, E., Stern, C., Lockwood, C., Barker, T. H., Klugar, M., Jadotte, Y., ... & Munn, Z. (2022). JBI series paper 2: tailored evidence synthesis approaches are required to answer diverse questions: a pragmatic evidence synthesis toolkit from JBI. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 150, 196-202.
Giroux, C. M., & Moreau, K. A. (2022). Nursing students’ use of social media in their learning: a case study of a Canadian School of Nursing. BMC nursing, 21(1), 195.
Farsi, D. (2021). Social media and health care, part I: literature review of social media use by health care providers. Journal of medical internet research, 23(4), e23205.
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., ... & Moher, D. (2021). Updating guidance for reporting systematic reviews: development of the PRISMA 2020 statement. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 134, 103-112.
Terzi, B., Bulut, S., & Kaya, N. (2019). Factors affecting nursing and midwifery students’ attitudes toward social media. Nurse education in practice, 35, 141-149.
Vizcaya-Moreno, M. F., & Pérez-Cañaveras, R. M. (2020). Social media used and teaching methods preferred by generation z students in the nursing clinical learning environment: A cross-sectional research study. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(21), 8267.
Sigma Membership
Upsilon Xi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Systematic Review
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Ethics, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Nursing Education, Social Media, Educational Innovations
Recommended Citation
Budler, Leona Cilar, "Innovative Techniques in Nursing Education: Evidence-Based Recommendations" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 312.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/312
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-09-26
Innovative Techniques in Nursing Education: Evidence-Based Recommendations
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Introduction: Nursing education must adapt to technological changes because of evolving clinical practices, growing volumes of digital information, and increasingly diverse learning needs. Traditional pedagogical approaches often fall short in addressing the expectations of contemporary learners who are accustomed to interactive, flexible, and technology-mediated modes of engagement. As a result, teachers are integrating innovative, evidence-based teaching techniques to strengthen learning outcomes, enhance student motivation, and support the development of professional identity in digital contexts. This paper aims to investigate existing interventions that use innovative techniques, like social media, in nursing education and to assess their effectiveness.
Methods: A systematic literature review was performed in November 2025. Literature was searched in PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science using the search string. Literature was analysed and narratively synthesized following the PRISMA guidelines (Page et al., 2021). Literature review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024589825). Quality appraisal was performed using the JBI checklists (Aromatatis et al., 2022).
Results: Based on 34 included studies, predominantly positive effects on engagement, learning, and professional identity development were found, but also challenges related to ethical issues. The main themes include: (1) student engagement and learning enhancement (Vizcaya-Moreno & Pérez-Cañaveras, 2020), (2) development of digital and professional identity (Giroux & Moreau, 2022), (3) resilience, peer support, and emotional expression, (4) platform-specific preferences and digital literacy (Terzi et al., 2019), and (5) ethical risks, and inconsistent implementation (Farsi, 2021).
Discussion: This review suggests the potential of social media as an educational tool in nursing education, promoting a more interactive, and accessible learning environment. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of social media on the clinical competencies of nursing students, and investigate the potential for emerging technologies, for instance augmented and virtual reality, to further enhance interactive and experiential learning opportunities.
Description
A systematic review of 34 studies shows that social media can enhance engagement, learning, and professional identity development in nursing education, though ethical challenges remain. Participants will gain insight into effective digital teaching strategies and considerations for integrating innovative technologies into nursing curricula.