Many people are taking on hobbies as social media influencers. Influencers are people who post videos and pictures on social media to attract followers, sell products and tell their stories. Some nurses are joining in on the fun, posting videos of their daily work routine on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
However, posting pictures, recording vlogs or taking part in the latest trends could jeopardize a nurse’s professional license. Here is what you should know:
How one video could violate a patient’s privacy
When nurses post content online, they give a better insight into daily life in the medical profession. Followers can learn more about the responsibilities and duties that are expected of nurses. For some, this means seeing nurses perform their duties and help out patients. For others, nurses talk about the stress of work when there is a medical crisis and working well past normal hours. In a way, nurses who post content online are giving people a better understanding of what it is like to be a nurse.
Medical practitioners are legally obligated to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). HIPAA protects patients’ medical information from being discussed openly, including a patient’s name, birth date, injuries, disabilities and physical description or identifiers.
Nurses who post on social media could unintentionally expose a patient’s medical information. This could happen if a medical practitioner records a surgery, posts a picture of medical records or uses a patient’s name in a story, for example. These examples could potentially violate HIPAA. Violating HIPAA can come with severe consequences, including termination and medical license revocation. Legal guidance can help nurses defend their license after making a simple mistake.
