Inappropriate Social Media Engagement and Professional Standards
Social media is an entertaining and informative space for billions of people worldwide. There is no harm if a professional nurse uses social media for professional or recreational purposes. However, a nurse should be mindful of potential risks associated with careless, irresponsible use of social media platforms.
A nurse may breach confidentiality by disclosing private patient information online (National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN], 2018). In addition, a misguided perception of a personal account as a private space may cause ethical controversy and harm the nurse’s moral and professional outlook (EveryNurse Staff, 2018). Therefore, a nurse must know what type of content can be safely posted online without violating the boundaries of ethics and patient privacy.
Professional standards of nursing clearly outline social media principles that nurses must follow. Two out of six general principles established by the American Nurses Association (ANA, n.d.) directly relate to content that a nurse should refrain from posting online. Firstly, professional nurses should avoid posting materials that could be considered unprofessional, such as patient photos and videos. Secondly, nurses must not share harmful, derogatory, racist, homophobic, or disparaging content (American Nurses Association, n.d.). In that regard, the content I post on my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts follows the guidelines.
Nurses’ Responsibility to Uphold Ethical and Professional Conduct
I never posted information related to the patients and never attacked my colleagues, workplace, or any population groups. However, in 2019, I retweeted a tweet by Graham Allen, the host of the Dear America podcast, where he criticized Netflix for depicting Jesus as gay in one of their shows. I do not have any ill will toward the LGBTQ+ community. However, I believe that Jesus, a son of God and our savior, is above the speculations on such human matters as sexuality. Looking back, I realize that some people could have perceived that retweet as a homophobic gesture.Nurses’
Now, I understand that nurses like me represent our patients, healthcare organizations, and the profession. As such, we are responsible for upholding a standard of personal conduct regarding social media use. Otherwise, violations of HIPAA rules or significant ethical controversies might occur. For instance, a careless nurse might disclose Protected Health Information (PHI) by posting patient photos and videos without informed authorization (The HIPAA Journal, 2023). As a result, the organization might be fined for breaching patient confidentiality (NCSBN, 2018).
Christian Values in Social Media: Reflections and Areas for Improvement
Furthermore, personal conduct on social media may undermine a nurse’s job security and workplace reputation. A nurse may face disciplinary action after expressing dissatisfaction with coworkers, patients, or job duties or relieving work-related stress through frustrated comments (EveryNurse Staff, 2018). In that regard, personal conduct standards remind the nurses about the lines one should not cross.
Given these considerations, I strive to dedicate my rare social activity to my family members and Christian wisdom. In general, my social media behavior characterizes me as a Christian and a family person rather than a professional nurse. I post meaningful and inspirational citations from the Bible, praises to God and Jesus, and photos of my beloved relatives.
In that regard, I could improve my social media activity by adding a professional flavor to my posts. For example, I could start sharing links to essential healthcare information or promoting my health-related interests online (EveryNurse Staff, 2018). My social media is dedicated to honoring my family and celebrating the Christian values of respect and dignity manifested in God’s love for the people. However, now I believe that my previous use of social media was relatively narrow in scope. Ultimately, making my content more related to nursing would allow me to become a better advocate for public health, which is an essential aspect of my profession.
References
American Nurses Association. (n.d.). Social media principles. Web.
EveryNurse Staff. (2018). How nurses should be using social media. Web.
The HIPAA Journal. (2023). HIPAA social media rules. Web.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2018). A nurse’s guide to the use of social media. Web.