Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Oct 2019)
Factors Influencing The Participation Of Nurses In Knowledge-Sharing Within Mobile Instant Messaging Based Virtual Communities Of Practice: A Qualitative Content Analysis
Abstract
Saeed Babajani-Vafsi,1 Jamileh Mokhtari Nouri,1,2 Abbas Ebadi,1,3 Mitra Zolfaghari4 1Nursing Management Department, Faculty of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Medicine, Quran and Hadith Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 3Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Life Style Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Department of Electronic Learning in Medical Sciences, Virtual School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranCorrespondence: Jamileh Mokhtari NouriNursing Management Department, Faculty of Nursing, 6th floor, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Mulla Sadra Street, Vanak Square, Tehran, IranTel +98 21 82455493Fax +98 21 88600947Email [email protected]: The emergence of mobile instant messaging (MIM) based virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) has provided new opportunities for nurses to share their knowledge and promote collaborative learning. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring the factors influencing nurses’ participation in knowledge-sharing within MIM-based VCoPs.Material and methods: This is a qualitative study conducted in Tehran, Iran, between April 2017 and July 2018. The participants were 18 nurses that selected through purposeful sampling technique; then, in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with them. Data was analyzed using conventional content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Accordingly, all interviews were transcribed and read several times; then, meaning units were identified from the transcribed text based on the aim of the study and codes were extracted from them. Finally, the codes were classified into categories and themes.Results: A total of 26 sub-categories, seven categories, and two themes were extracted. Motivations for nurses’ participating in knowledge-sharing activities within MIM-based VCoPs included the theme “Stimuli for professional interactions” with three categories: “The individual drives”, “Attractive interactive environment”, and “User-friendly media”. On the other hand, participation barriers included the theme “Impediments for professional interactions” with four categories of “Individual hindrances”, “Social harm”, “Unprofessional interactive environment” and “Undesirable media”.Conclusion: The findings of this exploratory study indicated that individual, social and technological factors as well as factors associated with the virtual-community interactive environment could influence nurses’ participation in knowledge-sharing within MIM-based VcoPs as motivations and barriers. The insights obtained from this study can be a guide for administrators and educators in the nursing profession to facilitate and enhance nurses’ participation in knowledge-sharing within MIM-based VCoPs by strengthening motivations and minimizing barriers.Keywords: social media, mobile applications, social learning, nursing education research, knowledge management
