NR 506 Week 6 Graded Discussion Topic: Using the Media
Given the power of the media, discuss how you would use an opinion editorial, a personal
... [Show More] interview, websites, texting, Facebook, Twitter, and/or blogs to influence public opinion relative to your policy priority. What concerns about media and electronic social networking do you need to consider? Why?
ANSWER
There has never been more immediate access to information from around the globe than there is in today’s computerized, technology rich world. The use of social media has increased dramatically over the past decade. Because of this increased use and exposure, people tend to trust what they see on social media. Hopman et. al. (2015) report that repeated exposure to social media results in increased trust based on societal assumptions that media sources target their consumers with the intent to foster trust. As a result of this, it is easy to disseminate information, and misinformation, rapidly to a wide variety of recipients, some of whom are able to validate and comprehend the information, some of whom are not and inherently take this information at face value, based on assumptions of trustworthiness. For this reason, it is important that these platforms are used judiciously in order to disseminate factual, accurate information.
On the subject of the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in public spaces, social media is a platform that can get the message out to a large audience in a short period of time. Personal interviews can be broadcast and shared, websites are already in place and being kept up to date, blogs, infomercials, instructional videos and narrative videos can be posted and shared via social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok. Information can be shared regarding heart disease and its impact on the population; sudden cardiac arrest, treatment for this condition, and the lasting effects of survival; and the impact of CPR in conjunction with defibrillation using and AED. Sutherland et. al. (2018) found that there is a positive relationship between participation in a Facebook group and the degree of offline physical participation, in addition to a feeling of being connected to the community, which is a critical component to the success of an AED program.
One of the concerns about the use of social media is the prevalence of cyberbullying which is a verbal attack via an electronic platform that is aggressive and intentional towards another who is unable to easily defend oneself (Hamm et. al., 2015). This phenomenon is receiving significant amounts of attention these days due to the frequency and intensity of online attacks, where the bully if often faceless, anonymous, and free from being held accountable for their words and/or actions. This anonymity has emboldened bullies whose attacks can have instant, significant and lasting effects on the recipient. As an author or producer of an on-line product, one must be diligent in monitoring comments to mitigate the presence of bullying comments and actions. This will help ensure the credibility and validity of the message, and keep interested people engaged in the message.
Nadine Quarshie, RN
References
Hopman, D. N., Shehata, A., & Stromback, J. (2015). Contagious media effects: How media use and exposure to game-framed news influence media trust. Mass Communication and Society, 18, 776-798. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2015.1022190
Sutherland, K., Davis, C., Terton U., & Visser, I. (2018, March). University student social media use and its influence on offline engagement in higher educational communities. Student Success, 9(2), 13-24. https://doi.org/10.5204/ssj.v9i2.400
Hamm, M. P., Newton, A. S., Chisholm, A., Shulhan, J., Milne, A., Sundar, P., Ennis, H., Scott, S. D., & Hartling, L. (2015). Prevalence and effect of cyberbullying on children and young people: A scoping review of social media studies. JAMA Pediatrics, 169(8), 770-777. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0944
Nadine, I can't agree with you more that the increase use of technology and social media has increased significantly during the pandemic. Additionally, social media is one of the powerful communication tools in today’s healthcare environment. It can reach to the public, private and nonprofit sector and many more area so quickly. Social media has changed the way people obtain or access information globally. It also allows positive and negative values, perceptions and expectation from a wide range of populations. Although social media provide a platform to address issues and reaching your target population it also create a challenge of maintaining credibility. Please discuss the difference between communication tools in young-adult, middle-age adult, and older-adult target audiences.
Dr Tyson and Fellow Classmates
Being able to communicate across the generations is critical to being able to market your idea, get support from stakeholders, deliver your message and inspire participation from a variety of community members, including political and financial supporters. Sponaugle (2019) advises being aware of how the target recipient(s) prefer to receive or access information, as opposed to utilizing your own preferred techniques. People of any age can participate or assist in the delivery of bystander CPR and the use of an AED, so it is critical in the proposal, development, and implementation of this idea to use a variety of communication techniques and media platforms in order to be inclusive and collaborative with the community in general.
Generation Z (mid 1990’s to now) are the youngest generation, and as such, are very technology driven and media savvy. This group could be targeted using more entertaining platforms such as Facebook pages, YouTube videos, Twitter messages, and Tik Tok vignettes. Middle agers such as Millenials (1981-1996) and Gen X (1965-1980) are finding their way in our technology driven world but are more information and data driven, and as such, can be targeted via websites, blogs, and on line journals. Older adults, such as the Baby Boomers (1946-1964) and the Silent Generation (1928-1945) tend to be mature and established, and the least familiar with technology driven media, and as such, can be targeted using short, brief, factual infomercials and videos, on line newspapers and journals, as well as sites networking sites such as Linkedin.
No matter what the subject matter or the target audience, it is important to be flexible, understanding, compassionate, and empathetic in order to cater to the needs of the recipient instead of blinded by your own preferences.
Nadine Quarshie, RN
Reference
Sponaugle, S. (Winter 2019). Communicating across generations. Economic Development Journal, 18(1), 16-23. https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=75770a9e-1c42-408a-9094-a40d3e09282f%40pdc-v-sessmgr04 [Show Less]