Facebook: Should I Just Give in and Join?

[ScientistSalarian]

Ok, so I feel like I might be one of the last under-30-year-olds on earth without a Facebook account.

I've mainly resisted because I'm just a very private person, but lately I've been reconsidering. I'm starting an RN program in the fall; at orientation they had students who had just finished their first year come talk to us and all seemed to be very enthusiastic about how useful the class Facebook page was. Also, as an introvert I've never been great in the friend-making department and if I'm being totally, pathetically honest I guess I'm afraid of feeling sort of generally left out as well.

I guess what I'm asking is:

1) Do you feel like connecting with classmates on Facebook was genuinely helpful to you as a nursing student?

and

2) Is it true that employers look at Facebook when hiring? I'd never post drunken photos or friend patients or anything stupid like that, but would not having a Facebook page be some sort of a red flag?

Any insight would be appreciated, thanks!

[MommaTy]

I think if the nursing groups are on Facebook then join. And if your profile is set to private anyone looking at your profile can not see anything until you accept them as a friend. Good luck.

[DoeRN]

Just say NO to Facebook.

I agree 100%! Don't see the point of it. My school had a page and people interacted on it. I didn't and did fine without it.

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[ames86]

I find my class facebook group very helpful. We can go to each other before staff if we need clarification on something. We ask questions on test material we don't understand and help each other learn better. A few people in my class didn't habe facebook before and created one for the group. Sometimes you have printer problems and you can ask someone in the group if the can print something for you. It has many uses.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I was in college when facebook first came around in 2004. Back then, there were no groups, no timeline, no pictures other than your profile pic, only college students could join and, in fact, only if you went to certain colleges. You could do little more than have friends and send them private messages. When groups first came around, you could only be in groups with people from your school. That said, as far as nursing went, I did not find facebook useful in college and I don't find it useful now. I use it to keep in touch with people that I otherwise would have lost touch with. I don't use it for anything related to nursing... If I want to use a professional social network, I use LinkedIn.

Employers most definitely DO look at prospective employees' facebook pages but they generally do it to get an idea of the person's character. I don't think it's necessarily a red flag if the employer sees that you don't have a facebook page, I wouldn't come up in a search for most employers because I have my settings such that you can only find me on facebook if we are connected within one degree of separation.

[Sparkles1]

Im way under 30 and don't have Facebook! Don't give in! :) I mean the way I see it, you can't miss something you've never had. Therefore, I don't care about it. I'm not knocking anyone who has it :) Just sayin...you aren't alone

[ambitiousBSN]

My nursing class currently does not have a Facebook group. We begin in the fall, and from what I've heard, the SON will be creating our group page. I only study with and discuss material with certain classmates, which means only theyget my notes and vice versa.

[dotoriffic]

I am only on there to keep in touch with family and some old friends. If you do join, like others have said, watch what you post because people have lost jobs for comments made on facebook. Also, watch your security settings. My previous employer (non-medical) made a point of monitoring what was posted by co-workers and when. If someone called in sick then they would see them checking in on facebook or posting pics of them doing things...yep, they would be fired. If I could delete my facebook account and not upset my family and kids, I would! Also, with the course load I am taking I have very little time for it.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Don't do it--it's not worth it! I actually left FB when I was in nursing school. It was so easy to get sidetracked on FB for ridiculous amounts of time doing NOTHING. And there was never any real benefit to it!

The people who begged me to stay tried to persuade me with silly arguments like "You'll never know what's going on with people if you're not on FB!" But guess what! People who I really cared about and who really cared about me stayed in touch with me, and I get to hear about people's lives from them and not from some silly website.

[FLArn]

I love my facebook for the free games! It is a great free stress buster! Posting anything private or work related...not so much!

[topaz1100, BSN, MSN]

I don't have FB either and sometimes hear of things late but the topics are never directly related to class and are usually updates about the pinning ceremony, fundraising, or just general (nursing un-related) stuff. I have nursing school friends whom I speak with/ call/ text about nursing related issues.

I am in a 2-year program and will be graduating next May (2014) and am not inclined at this time to register for FB.

[green34]

In nursing school, no. In my fire class, yes. We arranged study groups with it. I would at least make a Facebook page but don't use it. Put up a picture and leave it at that.

[shay&lynn, ASN, RN]

In nursing school no. In my fire class, yes. We arranged study groups with it. I would at least make a Facebook page but don't use it. Put up a picture and leave it at that.[/quote']

That is basically how mine is.

All I have is my picture and friends...

I like having it because I like certain pages such as ATI, Kaplan, Mighty Nurse, NCSBN, ******* (I could go on)...but because they post questions NCLEX style questions each week that I like participating in.

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