title: First year nursing students' experiences of social media during the transition to university: a focus group study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social media platforms are useful for creating communities, which can then be utilised as a mean for supportive, professional and social learning.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore first year nursing student experiences with social media in supporting student transition and engagement into higher education.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative focus groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten 1st year Bachelor of Nursing students were included in three face-to-face focus groups. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three key themes emerged that illustrates the experiences of transition and engagement of first year student nurses using social media at university. (1) Facilitating familiarity and collaboration at a safe distance, (2) promoting independent learning by facilitating access to resources, and (3) mitigating hazards of social media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has demonstrated the importance of social media in supporting informal peer-peer learning and support, augmenting online and offline relationships, and building professional identity as a nurse.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate School of Health , University of Technology Sydney , PO Box 123, Jones St, Ultimo, Sydney , NSW 2007 , Australia.
authors.forename: Caleb
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: b Faculty of Health , Centre for Cardiovascular & Chronic Care , University of Technology Sydney , Sydney , NSW 2007 , Australia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DiGiacomo
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Health , University of Technology Sydney , Sydney , NSW 2007 , Australia.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saliba
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Health , University of Technology Sydney , Sydney , NSW 2007 , Australia.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: d School of Health & Social Care , London South Bank University , London , UK.
authors.forename: Calvin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moorley
authors.affiliation: c Faculty of Health , University of Technology Sydney , Sydney , NSW 2007 , Australia.
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wyllie
authors.affiliation: e Faculty of Health & Life Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford , UK.|f School of Health , University of New England , Armidale , NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D010379:Peer Group; D036301:Qualitative Research; D061108:Social Media; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Facebook; curriculum planning; e-learning; first year experience; nurse education; social media; student engagement; student transition