The Social Media Trap

Here are a few tips for protecting yourself from the social media “Sirens”:

1. Don’t use a work computer or network to access social media.

Many organizations block access to social media sites on their networks. Even if your employer doesn’t, keep in mind that many organizations log all network activity — which means they can track the sites you access from their computers, even in the middle of the night, when nobody is watching. Don’t do it!

2. Don’t violate your organization’s social media policy.

At this point, most hospitals have a social media policy. Get a copy of that policy, read it and follow it. If you don’t, you could risk losing your job. You worked hard to become a nurse, so don’t jeopardize your success with an ill-considered social media post.

3. Don’t post while at work — even on your phone.

Not only do social media posts create a record of what you said, they’re also evidence of exactly WHEN you said it, which can get you in a load of trouble if you’re posting while on the job. Nurses have been terminated — and a few have lost their licenses — because lawyers were able to use social media posts as evidence that the nurse wasn’t paying enough attention to their patient. Don’t count on using “I was on a break” as an excuse unless you clock out for breaks.

4. Don’t post ANYTHING about a patient.

Don’t assume that not mentioning a patient’s name makes it okay to talk about them on social media. If anybody can figure out whom you’re talking about from your descriptors, you could be liable for violating HIPAA or other privacy rules.

I once saw a post from a nurse who talked about a patient who had been admitted the night before with a gunshot wound that occurred at a particular local bar. Anyone who’d been watching the news knew exactly who the nurse was talking about. A post like that can create serious liability for your employer — and for you.

5. Don’t attack your coworkers on social media.

Lashing out at anyone online is a bad idea, but a social media platform is a terrible place to air your frustrations about your coworkers. It’s inappropriate, unprofessional and a poor way to deal with conflict. I once heard of a situation where two nurses had a “catfight” on Facebook. It was ugly. They were both terminated.

6. Don’t post anything about your organization.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read negative comments about employers. I get a knot in my stomach every time I read them. Even posting something as seemingly innocuous as “I dread going into work tonight” can be grounds for termination in some organizations, and being fired for something like that won’t make you very attractive to future employers. Also, think of it this way: Would you want your patients to read your comments about your employer? If not, don’t post them.

7. Don’t write anything bad about being a nurse.

I always say that nobody gets involved in nursing for the perks, and we all have our good and bad days. Although some days really test our commitment, social media is not the place to vent about all of the horrors of nursing. I once read a post entitled “Nursing sucks!” by a nurse who’d just had a tough day. She went on to describe why she hated being a nurse. Not good.

Posts like that might not get you in trouble (certainly not the way venting about patients or your employer will), but as a nurse, you want to represent yourself and your profession well, not tear it down in public.

It’s important to be mindful of how we use social media platforms. You can delete a post that you regret, but if it has already been shared or saved as a screenshot, the damage is done.

In this Article: Bullying and Incivility, Leadership and Management