Digital Community, Real Impact: The Role of an Intra-Organizational Digital Community in Shaping Nurses' Professional Identities and Practice (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Already in 2017, Israel's health organizations established intra-organizational social media communities, believing they serve as a tool that would enable people to share experiences across regional boundaries. However, conducting preliminary studies and analyzing the findings to determine how they affected the employees' experience was never part of this effort. OBJECTIVE This study examined the impact of an intra-organizational digital community on nurses' professional identities and practices within a large healthcare organization. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 nurses from various specialties and regions participating in an intra-organizational nurses' community on Facebook. METHODS Using a qualitative descriptive approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 nurses from various specialties and regions participating in an intra-organizational nurses' community on Facebook. RESULTS The findings showed that the intra-organizational community fosters among its members a strong sense of belonging, emotional support, and professional development. Participants talked about having a sense of community, much like being a member of a family, where they could confide in one another, ask for help and advice, and receive support. Enriched professional knowledge, self-efficacy, and pride in the nursing profession were all associated with active involvement in the community. The complex interactions of social media usage in a hierarchical healthcare system were emphatically acknowledged by addressing challenges, including information overflow and concerns about sustaining a professional persona in a public digital domain. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the study illustrates how crucial it is for healthcare organizations to actively manage potential negative consequences while utilizing the benefits of intra-organizational digital networks, such as improving supportive relationships and ongoing shared learning. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding the crossroad between social media and healthcare, offering insights into developing strategies to promote a supportive and connected nursing workforce. The implications are particularly relevant for organizations seeking to strengthen nurse well-being and professional development through innovative digital tools. Future research should include quantitative studies to assess an intra-organizational platform's influence on outcomes such as nurses' sense of community, professional identity, self-efficacy retention, and job satisfaction. CLINICALTRIAL