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.
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.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Social media has become a major part of our daily lives, both professionally and personally. Nurses, being an integral part of the healthcare system, need to maintain professional standards even on their social media platforms. Inappropriate conduct on social media can cause legal implications for nurses, as well as reflect negatively on the nursing profession.
1. Describe the posts or conversations in which you have engaged that might be considered inappropriate based on the professional standards of nursing.
Upon reviewing my social media profile, I found a few instances where my posts and conversations might be considered unprofessional. I have posted pictures of myself wearing scrubs with captions that were inappropriate. I have also engaged in conversations that included gossip about colleagues and patients, which violates their privacy, and is considered unprofessional.
2. 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.
Nurses have the responsibility to maintain professional standards of conduct at all times, whether at work or in their personal lives. This is because they are representatives of the nursing profession, and their conduct reflects upon the profession as a whole. Personal conduct that violates HIPAA or is considered unethical or unprofessional can cause harm to patients and damage the reputation of the nursing profession.
For example, posting pictures of a patient’s medical condition or discussing a patient’s medical history violates HIPAA regulations. Sharing rumors or gossip about patients or colleagues can be considered unethical, and it can harm their reputation and the reputation of the nursing profession.
3. 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.
My social media activity that reflects Christian values includes posts that promote kindness, empathy, and compassion towards others. I have shared posts that promote diversity and inclusion, which shows my stance on respecting human value and dignity for all individuals.
However, there are areas of my social media activity that could be improved. I need to be more mindful of the captions and conversations that I engage in when wearing my scrubs. I also need to be more cautious of the type of information that I share about my patients or colleagues, to ensure that I am respecting their privacy and not engaging in gossip.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, maintaining professional standards on social media is essential for nurses. It is crucial to be mindful of the content we share, and the conversations we engage in, to ensure that we are not violating any regulations or causing harm to patients or colleagues. As representatives of the nursing profession, it is our responsibility to maintain a level of professionalism both in the workplace and our personal lives.
