Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

Social media has become integral component in the nursing profession and modern life. Besides facilitating collegial communication among nurses, it provides ample and timely avenues for professional development and education. Additionally, it offers a remarkable platform for public education and health guidance, contributing immensely to the virtual presence of the nursing profession. However, injudicious use of social media may not only create legal issues for nurses but also bring the nursing profession into disrepute (American Nursing Association, 2018) Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

Upon reviewing my social media networks, specifically Facebook and Twitter, I discovered some posts that I previously posted which may be considered unprofessional and unethical, thus potentially detrimental to my career. I noted that I had failed to maintain my patient’s privacy and confidentiality, especially on Facebook, which is considered unprofessional (Nyangeni et al., 2019). The inherent nature of social media invites sharing work experiences and personal information – a move that may cause egregious taint a nurse’s professionalism. According to the American Nursing Association code of nursing profession (2018), posting patients’ photos, negative comments about patients, or details that may identify patients are considered breaches of patient privacy and confidentiality. The code further elucidates that sharing a patient’s information, even without mentioning the name, is enough to trigger Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation and its associated implications. For instance, in one such event, I got home after a stressful day at work. I was pretty pissed off and so overwhelmed by my patient’s behavior. Since I was alone and had nobody to share with, I got to Facebook and sought help on how to deal with a difficult patient. I posted that I was dealing with an ingrate who only focused on the wrongs. Despite not posting pictures or mentioning the name, I learned that such a post might trigger serious implications from the HIPAA and my state board of nursing. Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

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Also, I noted that some postings on my personal life on my Facebook and Twitter accounts may be deemed unprofessional and unethical and can adversely affect my career. For instance, I had negatively commented about my workplace. I had complained about my employers and coworker. I had lamented that we are not only subjected to long working hours but also that my coworkers are unprofessional and uncooperative.            However, I have learned that any complaint ought to be directed to the right avenues while adhering to the institutional policy on dispute resolution and that, Instead, social media should be leveraged to post positive comments about my workplace and coworkers. Moreover, Glasdam et al, (2022) state that postings about personal life can negatively affect your professional life. Posting comments or photos about alcohol or drug use and use of racially derogatory or sexually explicit comments could lead to disciplinary actions from a board of nursing (Gladsdam et al., 2022).

Consequently, as a nurse, I have an inherent obligation to act in a manner that is consistent with the standards governing the nursing profession at all times. Nurses are held to a higher standard than other healthcare practitioners due to their caretaker role and intimate access to confidential and patient privacy information. Thus, my conduct on social media should reflect and perpetuate this heightened responsibility (Nyangeni et al., 2019).

During the perusal of my social media accounts, however, I noted that I have significantly used social media to champion Christian values. Moreover, I have endeavored to respect and treat all individuals with dignity. For instance, my incessant posting of bible verses and inspiring videos on my Facebook has positively impacted many individuals based on the numerous positive feedback. Further, I have refrained from posting profanity and sexually explicit comments (Nyangeni et al.,2019). Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

I have pinpointed some areas on my social media platforms that could be improved. The sharing of patients’ information should be avoided. Even without mentioning the patient’s name, I have learned that this action can jeopardize my career. Additionally, it is imperative to set all my social media accounts private. However, even with this layer of privacy, I will endeavor to exercise caution and moderation on all my social media accounts. It is also imperative to stop posting personal live and using racially derogatory comments on my social media accounts (Gladsdam et al., 2022).

Ultimately, social media is ubiquitous in the lives of nurses, both professional and private. Besides providing a platform for professional development, social media plays an integral role in public education. However, if used imprudently, it may jeopardize one’s career. For instance, posting patients’ information and complaining about one’s employers and coworkers on social media is unprofessional. Nurses are highly held based on their unique roles. Thus, they should conduct themselves to reflect this heightened responsibility Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

References

American Nurses Association. (2018). Nursing’s social policy statement: The essence of the profession. Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org

Nyangeni, T., Du Rand, S., & Van Rooyen, D. (2019). Nursing students’ perceptions regarding responsible use of social media in the Eastern Cape. Curationis, 38(2), 1496. https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v38i2.1496

Glasdam, S., Sandberg, H., Stjernswärd, S., Jacobsen, F. F., Grønning, A. H., & Hybholt, L. (2022). Nurses’ use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic-A scoping review. PloS one, 17(2), e0263502. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263502

Assessment Description
Social media plays a significant role in the lives of nurses in both their professional and personal lives. Additionally, social media is now considered a mainstream part of the process for recruiting and hiring candidates. Inappropriate or unethical conduct on social media can create legal problems for nurses as well as the field of nursing.

Login to all social media sites in which you engage. Review your profile, pictures and posts. Based on the professional standards of nursing, identify items that would be considered unprofessional and potentially detrimental to your career and that negatively impact the reputation of the nursing field. Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion

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In 500-750 words, summarize the findings of your review. Include the following:

Describe the posts or conversations in which you have engaged that might be considered inappropriate based on the professional standards of nursing.
Discuss why nurses have a responsibility to uphold a standard of conduct consistent with the standards governing the profession of nursing at work and in their personal lives. Include discussion of how personal conduct can violate HIPAA or be considered unethical or unprofessional. Provide an example of each to support your answer.
Based on the analysis of your social media, discuss what areas of your social media activity reflect Christian values as they relate to respecting human value and dignity for all individuals. Describe areas of your social media activity that could be improved. Social Media and Nursing Profession Discussion