Nurses Trained to Combat Health Misinformation on Social Media

Nurses are increasingly being trained to confront the flood of health misinformation and dubious wellness trends circulating on social media platforms like TikTok. As more individuals turn to these platforms for health information, healthcare educators are adapting to help patients navigate the digital landscape and discern credible advice from harmful myths.

A 2025 Kaiser Family Foundation survey indicated that 55% of adults utilize social media for health-related queries. In response to this trend, institutions such as the Passan School of Nursing at Wilkes University are integrating health literacy and media literacy into their coursework, from undergraduate programs to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. This initiative aims to empower nurses to critically evaluate viral health trends and guide patients toward evidence-based medical practices.

Meghan Pontz, a nurse practitioner and professor of practice at Wilkes University, highlighted the need for this educational shift. "We're looking at our curriculum to make sure that we're weaving health literacy, media literacy and misinformation response directly into coursework, rather than having this as a sidebar conversation in clinical practice," Pontz stated. The university is even assigning students to create short, TikTok-style videos to explain disease processes, a method designed to meet patients where they are and communicate complex health topics in accessible formats.

The training extends beyond simply addressing misleading content about trends like mouth taping. DNP professors are re-evaluating how healthcare providers interact with patients and how to help them distinguish between genuine medical uncertainty and unsupported claims found in online content. A key strategy involves teaching the SIFT method—Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims back to their origins—to foster critical thinking among students and patients.

Pontz also advised caution regarding health advice from medical professionals who are active on social media. She emphasized the importance of verifying information by looking for peer-reviewed research and established standards of care. A crucial step for users is to check if a healthcare provider has a National Provider Identifier (NPI), a unique number required for U.S. health care providers. Additionally, Pontz noted that legitimate providers often share resources or links to their information in their profiles or video comments.

Red flags for misinformation include claims of a universal cure-all or a "magic bullet" solution. "Nothing is a blanket statement in medicine," Pontz cautioned. She also pointed out the potential for financial incentives to influence content, urging users to be aware of sponsored posts that might present information in an overly favorable light. The overall goal is not to discourage social media use for health information but to equip users with the critical skills needed to evaluate sources and ensure the information they consume is trustworthy and accurate.