Read “Social Media,” located on the American Nurses Association website.
Social media has become an essential tool in different aspects of life; both professional and personal. Social media plays a critical role in contemporary nursing practice with nurses leveraging it to network with colleagues and share findings from research through both private and open forums. However, social media may also endanger privacy and dignity of patients when nurses expose their information and data leading to disciplinary and even legal actions (Rukavina et al., 2021). For instance, a nurse may post how tiresome their day was; especially patients who may have been irritating. Such posts maybe considered inappropriate based on professional nursing standards set by regulatory bodies like the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) as well as professional organizations like the American Nurses Association (ANA). The purpose of this paper is to review and reflect on my social media posts and activities and if they may be considered unprofessional and in violation of regulatory requirements like HIPAA.
Inappropriate Posts and Conversations
A review of my social media posts and conversations across all the social networks that include Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter show better use of these platforms to share information and new insights as well as network with fellow nurses. However, a few posts emerge that I may consider inappropriate and against the professional conduct of nurses. Though these posts show my private life, they may still have a bearing on my professional growth and overall perception by people, particularly colleagues and patients. In one of the posts, I complained about the working conditions at my workplace, especially the increased workload and the long shifts. While this is a concern for many nurses, posting one’s sentiments directed at their employer may seem inappropriate and unprofessional when there exist ways of dealing.
In another post on Facebook, I shared information about the intrigues of the day with a caption showing inpatient beds in the background. While the post is not explicit, it depicts the healthcare environment and this may demonstrate high levels of ethical and legal violations. As a professional nurse, I should uphold certain standards based on legal and ethical frameworks and regulations. In another Tweet, I complained about an irritating patient who did not even pay their bills yet kept pestering me about his condition. This was also inappropriate since nurses are expected to offer the highest level of quality care and attend to patient needs at all times. Venting out such frustrations and anger may be harmful to patients in general and even the nursing profession.
Responsibility to Uphold a Standard Conduct
Nurses are critical players in health care delivery and must adhere to a standard conduct expected of their professional ethics. The standards governing the nursing profession include a code of ethics and adherence to the requirements of Nurse Practice Act of their respective states and the federal regulations like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Standards guide and promote the nursing practice and protect patients, especially guaranteeing their safety and privacy. Furthermore, professional standards hold nurses accountable for their actions and ensure that they attain the requisite competence in healthcare delivery.
Professional standards like the code of conduct by the ANA (2022) gives nurses certain ethical and professional requirements that they must uphold to offer quality and reliable care as well as ensure that they not breach aspects like privacy and confidentiality by revealing patient information and data. Nurses must uphold these policies and understand the consequences of non-compliance. In their article, Geraphy et al. (2021) implore nurses to be vigilant concerning the use of social media within their personal and professional lives so that they do not cross the boundaries.
Personal conduct like posting patients’ images can breach the provisions of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability. Such conduct is considered unprofessional. Posting such content, especially without the consent from patients, violates privacy and confidentiality (O’Connor et al., 2022). HIPAA’s privacy rule is categorical that healthcare providers and organizations should protect and safeguard patient’s data and information. Again, posting my reactions and opinions about the workplace conditions is unprofessional because as a nurse, one should understand the existing organizational channels that can be used to address the issues. Talking negatively about patents is not only unethical but also unprofessional. Breaching patient’s privacy by posting their images and information using soci
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