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Aims: To identify how social participation facilitates pre‐registration student nurses learning and professional development using social media. Design: A social survey using thematic analysis to explore Caribbean student nurses' views of social media usage from an open‐ended question in a survey. Methods: A qualitative analysis of student nurses from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, who completed an open‐ended question in a survey. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results/Findings The three themes identified were: (1) Social media and communication; (2) Social media and self‐care; and (3) Social media and learning. Conclusion: This paper used qualitative evidence to identify and report a new way of viewing SoMe in nursing education as a student‐centred educational learning tool. SoMe can improve the effectiveness of student nurses learning, while developing fundamental skills (open‐mindedness, critical thinking, professionalism and decision‐making) for nursing practice. Social participation and connectivism theory are embedded in student nurses' learning journey. However, it has been used by student nurses outside the traditional university teaching and their capacity to own their personal learning. To meet the new generation of student nurses' learning needs, it is important that higher education institutions develop guidance, support and use of social media for learning to support student nurses in their education as students and also future professionals. Impact This study addresses how social participation is used in social media to contribute to Caribbean student nurses' education. The main finding is the introduction of a new learning theory supporting learning using social media. This study has an impact on using social media for learning. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]