Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Nursing

Supervisor

Booth, Richard

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses, and other healthcare workers were recognized and celebrated as heroes by the public. With the increase of the hero labelling of nurses and other healthcare workers across various media platforms, critical interpretation of the label was voiced by individuals working in essential services, including nursing. This study utilized social network analysis and the qualitative content analysis framework by Graneheim and Lundman (2004) to explore how the nurse-hero discourse was amplified and propagated through the social media platform, Twitter. The findings of this study revealed that some Twitter users utilized the hero-messages to relay the urgency of supporting healthcare workers including nurses during the pandemic. It was also found that key Twitter users including prominent political figures in Ontario, Canada utilized the hero-messages to leverage or advance elements of their own agendas.

Summary for Lay Audience

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses were recognized and celebrated as heroes for their dedication and sacrifices to care for patients. Nurses have been working for several decades yet their newfound label and portrayal as heroes was largely conversed across large media platforms during the pandemic, with several individuals being critical of this label. Analyzing these conversations provides an opportunity to understand how the hero label is discussed across media platforms and its influence on the nursing role during the pandemic.

This current research project explored how the nurse hero discourse was propagated and amplified on the social media platform, Twitter. Twitter posts published by various Twitter users between April 2021 - September 2021 were included. In this study, a social network and content analysis of the amplification and propagation of the nurse hero discourse was conducted. This included the illustration of who is 'tweeting' about the hero discourse and the nature of the content in those posts. The researcher found that some Twitter users utilized the hero-messages to relay the urgency of supporting healthcare workers including nurses during the pandemic. It was also found that various important users identified through the social network analysis commonly utilized aspects of hero-messaging of nurses on Twitter to leverage or advance elements of their own agendas.

Available for download on Sunday, March 23, 2025

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