Online Social Network Use by Health Care Providers in a High Traffic Patient Care Environment

Abstract

BackgroundThe majority of workers, regardless of age or occupational status, report engaging in personal Internet use in the workplace. There is little understanding of the impact that personal Internet use may have on patient care in acute clinical settings.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the volume of one form of personal Internet use—online social networking (Facebook)—generated by workstations in the emergency department (ED) in contrast to measures of clinical volume and severity.MethodsThe research team analyzed anonymous network utilization records for 68 workstations located in the emergency medicine department within one academic medical center for 15 consecutive days (12/29/2009 to 1/12/2010). This data was compared to ED work index (EDWIN) data derived by the hospital information systems.ResultsHealth care workers spent an accumulated 4349 minutes (72.5 hours) browsing Facebook, staff cumulatively visited Facebook 9369 times and spent, on average, 12.0 minutes per hour browsing Facebook. There was a statistically significant difference in the time spent on Facebook according to time of day (19.8 minutes per hour versus 4.3 minutes per hour, P<.001). There was a significant, positive correlation between EDWIN scores and time spent on Facebook (r=.266, P<.001).ConclusionsFacebook use constituted a substantive percentage of staff time during the 15-day observation period. Facebook use increased with increased patient volume and severity within the ED.

Distraction of clinicians by smartphones in hospitals: a concept analysis

“…The use of smartphones to engage in personal Internet use in hospitals is becoming increasingly prevalent (Black et al . ). There is an increasing awareness that some smartphone uses, even those that are self‐initiated, can be distracting and detrimental (Rivera‐Rodriguez & Karsh ).…”

“…investigated the impact of non‐work related Internet use on patient care in clinical settings (Black et al . ). They found that Facebook use made up a substantive percentage of clinician time, and that social media use increased with patient volume and acuity within the emergency department, suggesting that employees use smartphones to take breaks from a stressful environment.…”

“…Cyberloafing and distraction are similar; however, distraction implies a limited, unplanned interruption, while cyberloafing is frequently the use of social networking applications prompted by workers seeking diversions or opportunities for cognitive time‐outs (Black et al . ).…”

Social Media in Health Care

“…19 Now that social media is so prevalent and available at our fingertips, it can be accessed anywhere, including hospitals and clinics. Being able to be on Facebook so much could prove to be a distraction from patients and proper patient care.…”

“…19 This is not just access by lower-level employees either-higher-status employees are actually shown to have a higher personal use of social media in the workplace. 20 This shows that personal social media usage is rampant through all tiers of health care provision.…”