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Image: Twitter.com
Nurses don’t get nearly as much recognition as they deserve in real life. But on the Internet, anyone can be a star! Social media has taken a few nurses and thrust them into the spotlight. These RNs, LVNs and CPNs have amassed a global following of thousands. According to WeFollow, these nurses have taken the Tweetosphere by storm. Who are these healthcare media personalities? How many people follow their Twitter feeds? What do they tweet about? Let’s take a look. Maybe you’ll become a fan, too!
For Your Community
Terri Schmitt
There’s a popular saying that goes: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Terri Schmitt (@onlinenursing) believes that a small group of thoughtful, committed nurses can change healthcare. Hopefully, her small group of 4,800 followers is doing just that. Schmitt posts all kinds of content that can help nurses make a difference. Don’t miss her website, Nurse Story, for more thought-provoking and uplifting content.
For Your Career
LeaRae Keyes, RN
Over 7,000 followers can’t be wrong! LeaRae Keyes is the nurse to follow if you’re tired of being tied into the usual employer/employee relationship that puts too much control in the hands of the hospital and not enough control in yours. Learn to be a “nursepreneur” with advice from this RN who specializes in business coaching. Become empowered to start your own nursing-related business and taste that sweet freedom!
For Your Patients
Barbara Olson
Learning to be a better nurse who makes fewer mistakes is one of the best ways you can help your patients. SafetyNurse is the Twitter feed to follow if you want to keep up with best practices, find tools to reduce errors and become more aware of safety issues overall. Barbara Olson has almost 5,600 followers. She should have more!
For Your Heart
Amber Keinath
Amber Keinath is an ICU nurse who is as serious as a heart attack about helping you live a long and healthy life. This “Healthy Lifestyle Nurse” has a Twitter feed full of tips for how to eat, exercise and enjoy your way to a healthier body. She’s got 2,600 followers and counting (calories, steps and miles!). Keinath is a frequent and energetic poster who will make you feel like getting up and moving. Maybe you’ll even tear yourself away from your social media addiction long enough to get in a quick workout.
For Your Belly
Shelly Stuart
Shelly Stuart is known as CeliacNurse1—the leading RN Twitterer on the topic of gluten intolerance. You can believe what you read here since she’s tweeting from personal experience. Right now, she’s not updating that frequently. She’s busy working on a book about gluten toxicity. But once the book launches, you can expect to see a lot more activity. If you or a loved one is dealing with celiac disease (which is turning out to be much more common than previously imagined), take a moment to join Stuart’s following of 5,800 Twitter users.
For Your Lungs
Joe Weaver
This guy has a fan base of more than 50,000 Twitter users. The author of The Tao of Quitting Smoking and the Nic-the-Habit website just can’t quit…writing about smoking cessation, that is. He has successfully ditched the cancer sticks himself and he’s determined not to rest until every smoker follows suit. Given how many nurses are still hooked on nicotine, this is a worthy goal. Weaver’s Twitter feed is replete with news and tips on topics ranging from smoking to mental health.
For Your Brain
Carole Eldridge
Carole Eldridge is an RN, a DNP and a self-professed nerd. She aggregates articles on medical studies the way some people collect stamps. If you’re a news junkie with no time to track down all the latest health stories yourself, just add @Nerdnurse to your feed. You and Eldridge’s 3,750 other followers can read at least one article a day to increase your public health IQ.
