Pharmacy students want guidelines on Facebook and online professionalism

Abstract

Aim
To investigate pharmacy students’ use of, and attitudes towards, Facebook and professionalism.

Design
A quantitative, online anonymous survey
Subjects and setting
91 pharmacy students at a UK university completed the online survey

Results
Most students completing the survey were female and most had a Facebook account which they logged onto daily. Results suggest pharmacy students need and want more guidance on online professionalism.

Conclusion
Although the sample size of the study is small, the findings are nevertheless interesting and insightful and warrant further investigation. The findings indicate that there is a need for students to be more aware of online professionalism, and that they require clear guidelines on online professionalism. These issues may best be dealt with through their undergraduate education in order to prepare students for their careers as healthcare providers.