Nursing Organizations' Health Policy Content on Facebook and Twitter Preceding the 2016 United States Presidential Election

Aim The aim of this study was to describe and analyse Facebook and Twitter content associated with three United States national nursing organizations during the month preceding the 2016 United States presidential election. Background Social media is increasingly significant in political and civil society dialogue. Many professional nursing organizations have an explicit commitment to advancing health policy and have established a presence on social media platforms; yet, little is known about what policy topics professional nursing organizations choose to disseminate. Design Descriptive study of qualitative data from three national nursing organizations' social media posts 1 month prior to the 2016 United States presidential election. Methods Content analysis of social media content was guided by the Conceptual Module of Nursing and Health Policy and the Culture of Health Action Framework. Results A total of 2,137 social media units were collected. National Nurses United shared more policy-related content on Facebook and Twitter than the American Nurses Association and the American Academy of Nursing. Two policy issues relevant in the 2016 national election-expanded use and regulation of marijuana and containing the cost of prescription drugs-received considerable attention on the nursing organizations' social media feeds, while a substantial percentage of analysed content was not related to health policy. Conclusion Professional nursing organizations often represent the voice of nurses in policy discussions. Organization leaders and members should consider how social media content could enhance nurses' policy participation and advance dialogue about health and well-being in the context of high-stakes healthcare debates.