Using social media is something that most people don’t think twice about. For people in certain professions, including nurses, being careful on social media is critical. There are several things that they need to ensure they don’t do so that they don’t violate any laws, regulations, or rules.
While some people think that they can post whatever they want on their social media accounts, people in the healthcare profession can’t do anything that’s going to put a patient’s privacy at risk. For some nurses, social media posts can lead to termination even if there isn’t anything in the situation that breaks regulations or laws.
What should nurses avoid on social media?
Nurses should never post anything on social media that is directly related to a patient in a manner that would allow someone to determine that patient’s identity. This could include specific procedures, the location of treatment, the patient’s age and gender and so on.
It’s not only the nurse’s social media pages that must be considered. Any comments the nurse posts on other people’s social media pages mustn’t reveal any information about patients. Nurses should always maintain a professional presence on social media, even if they have privacy settings that they think limit the exposure of their posts because they shouldn’t ever put patient information at risk.
A nurse who’s facing problems with their nursing license over social media posts should ensure that they understand what defense options they have to fight back against the loss of their license and their livelihood. It’s imperative that you work with someone who’s familiar with the regulations in California so they can help you through this arduous process — and an early start on your defense can lead to a better outcome.
