Buckle up nurses, I’m about to give you a crash course in the dos and don’ts of social media. In 2021 Statista reported around 79% of Americans have at least one social media profile. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as social media is such a large part of our society.
Social media is beneficial to keep friends and families connected, to join groups with people who have similar interests, and to look up companies before buying from them or working with them. However, social media comes with a dark side as well. The purpose of this blog is to keep you safe as a nurse on social media and to help you steer clear of the repercussions social media may inflict on your career.
Getting Political on Social Media
As the social media point-person, I get many messages and comments on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. About once a month I get a DM from an angry social media user complaining about one of our nurse’s posts. Oftentimes this person will screenshot the nurse’s comments on a post, or will go to their profile and screenshot posts the nurse has shared. A majority of these posts are political in some way pertaining to what has been going on in the world.
Your thoughts and opinions are important and make you who you are. We get that! However, be mindful when sharing and commenting on topics that are touchy – like politics, religion, and money. Don’t put yourself in a situation where a friend or random social user can use your social media comments and posts to get you in trouble. Follow the tips below to reinforce your security and privacy to avoid being “social stalked” in the future.
Tips to Maximizing Your Privacy
First things first, slim down your friends list. If you have people on your Facebook or Instagram you do not know, it might be time to unfriend them. Secondly, you’ll want to ensure social users are not seeing your posts without being your friend. Make sure to adjust your privacy settings on Facebook and to switch your Instagram to private. Keep in mind whenever you post on a public page, like your local news station, everyone who also follows that page can see your comments. Even if you have strong opinions on something, if it involves politics, religion, or money, it might be a good habit to not comment or react.
Violating HIPAA on Social Media
As you know, it is illegal for a nurse to name a patient in a post or give enough details that the patient can be identified. Consequently, nurses can get into trouble if they name or allude to their patients or employers in an improper way on social media. We understand, sometimes you need to vent about your day. When you do, use the “less is more” mentality.
Consequences of Violating HIPAA on Social Media
Even though most of these instances of violating HIPAA on social media are unintentional, they come with heavy consequences. Nurses can face repercussions from their employer or state and federal governments, depending on the severity of the case. Nurses may face fines, jail time, job termination, and temporary or permanent loss of a nursing license. In other words, nurses who improperly use social media can also seriously damage their reputation and that of their employer.
Tips to Avoid Misusing Social Media
- Make your social media private
- Always be mindful of HIPAA regulations
- Be aware of your employer’s policies regarding social media
- Avoid social media completely while at work
- Your posts can be easily seen
- Remember that most of your peers know where you work and may intentionally or unintentionally make your employer aware of your post
- Think before you post!
- Double-check that you are not mentioning the name of a patient or facility. Also, using too many details can give away the patient or facility
- Try to stay away from posting about dividing political topics
Nurses who use social media have a responsibility to be careful about what they post. The key to using social media is caution. Otherwise, the consequences can be serious. As always, stay informed and make smart decisions the next time you find yourself ready to hit the “share” button.
