Lived experiences of student nurses learning and socializing media at a private university in Iloilo City

Abstract

Social media is vital for learning, particularly in higher education, where youths are perceptive. This study explored the lived experiences of Level 2 student nurses at a private university in Iloilo City, Philippines, and focused on how social media affected their learning and socializing. Data was obtained using phenomenological constructivism, with participants selected based on criteria. Only 14 (46.7%) of the thirty student nurses screened met the inclusion criteria, including thirteen females and one male. Data saturation was achieved after a semi-structured interview with the eighth student, which implied that no new themes occurred after this point. Preliminary findings suggested that TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram enhanced academic learning by offering educational resources and promoting collaboration. However, the narrow nature of online communication creates diversions and makes it harder to develop lasting relationships. The five questions focused on the impact of social media on learning and socializing: communication efficiency, information accessibility, distractions and misinformation, social connections, and relationship-building challenges. The research findings revealed a complex connection with social media as a useful tool for learning and socializing, and a source of distraction and interpersonal conflict. This study sheds light on the dual role of social media in the educational life of student nurses. However, it also has issues with disruptive and interpersonal dynamics.