Andy Jaeger big thinking for a small world

Interview: Nurses warned over use of social media

I've been doing a lot of work recently on how social media is used by nurses and midwives. As a culmination of this, I've authored updated advice for nurses and midwives on using social networking sites responsibly, and was interviewed by People Management magazine (for the second time in as many weeks!)

Nurses warned over use of social media

Social networking guidance is being issued to nurses and midwives by their regulatory body following an increase in misconduct cases relating to online activities and ethical code breaches.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said it was publishing practical advice on responsible use of the internet – specifically Facebook – as there is “clearly confusion about privacy issues and the use of social networking sites.”

The guidance is also designed to give employers a steer on shaping policy related to staff internet activities inside and outside of work, and how to deal with internal disciplinary issues that arise from incidents occurring in the social media space.

The formation of advice for the UK’s 660,000 registered nurses and midwives follows an “influx of enquiries” and a series of misconduct cases centring on social networking sites, said the NMC.

Last year a male psychiatric nurse was struck off for an “inappropriate relationship with a patient”, after contacting a woman formerly in his care through Facebook.

The council also highlighted a case in the US where a student nurse became embroiled in a legal battle with her employers, after she was dismissed for posting a photograph of herself posing with a placenta to Facebook.

The regulator is warning nurses to use such networking channels responsibly and be mindful of unintentional breaches of patient confidently – as well as their own privacy. The guidelines suggest that medical staff keep their personal and private contacts, discussions and profiles separate.

“If your profession is nursing or midwifery, it is particularly inadvisable to discuss work issues online,” said Andy Jaeger, NMC’s assistant director of professional and public communications, and author of the advice. “What you regard as just an amusing story, could end up causing serious offence more easily than you think.”

He warned that personal content is often “unwittingly” shared across networks, adding: “Most people simply don’t realise how much information is shared with the world if you don’t adjust your privacy settings on Facebook – and that includes personal details and photographs.”

He also told PM that the guidance was being issued to help employers develop social networking policies, as current procedures were “inconsistent.”

“Nurses and midwives have reported that employers are not dealing with issues occurring on social networks with the same degree of seriousness – particularly around bullying, harassment and inappropriate sharing of content," he continued. “This guidance is about responsible use, and encouraging employers to investigate issues proportionately and seriously, rather than issue blanket bans."