Professional Image and Heroism of Nurses during the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the Effects of Social Media on Nurses in Illinois

This article uses a survey of nurses in Illinois to explore the heroization of nurses that occurred during the 2020-2021 pandemic and the effects of social media on respondents. Due to their hard work taking care of patients, putting them at risk of contracting the Covid-19, nurses have become viewed as heroic. Other scholars have examined the narratives of heroism surrounding nurses, finding they have both accepted and critiqued their status as heroes. However, there have not been many specific studies of the effects of social media on the heroization process and on nurses during the pandemic. Social media has allowed nurses to publicize their jobs and daily struggles, leading to their status as heroes and general acknowledgement, but can also negatively affect their mental health. In addition, relatively little online discourse about nurses transformed into offline activism, casting doubt on the limits of social media in politics.