This century's legacy will be the power of communication and how it will better the world we live in. The speed and ease of transmission enables a world wide connectivity that was never possible before.
It is well understood that journaling and reflection by a nurse enhance nursing practice. It's also a good way to debrief from hectic experiences. In the past these activities were carried out in a more private manner either alone or with others via private media such as the telephone or in person.
Privacy is something that's changing rapidly in the age of social media.
The definition of a web based social network is a service that permits a user to create a semi public or public profile within a bounded system, creating a list of other users with whom they share a connection, they can also view and traverse these connections.(1)
Social media is a fast growing popular phenomenon. The growth of social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Youtube, and others, is being outpaced by the ability to govern its use in the professions. Health care is no exception. The adoption and use of social media is far ahead of policies being developed by professional and regulatory organizations. For instance should providers and patients be friends on Facebook? What about work colleagues? How far should employers go in researching potential hires?
There are few regulations for social media but there are certainly best practices.
The regulation of social media is further complicated by the fact that any policy development will raise the question of where does my professional life end and my private life begin? Do my rights as a private citizen supercede my professional responsibilities? Are my activities in my off duty hours strictly my own business that my employer has no right to know about?
It has been noted by a prominent inventor that technology often shoulders the blame for the wrongdoings of its users. Perhaps establishing a foundation of knowledge of social media and a reflection on one’s own reasons for using it will go a long way towards helping nurses use it productively enjoyably without encountering any of its pitfalls.
Most social media users are consciously unaware of the power of social media, and where that power is derived from. Essentially the users’ desire for information is what gives that social media its power. Users too are unaware how social media exerts power over their users by providing an endless stream of information about other users and their interests. Unconsciously users could give the media more power by classifying its use as a needed activity. The attractions of social media are the human desire to belong and the speed of transmission that can reach a audience so big as to be difficult to envision. People’s desire to socially belong is one of the strongest of human needs, only sustenance and safety are more important.
Another potential pitfall of social media is its newness. The fact that it is still evolving means that norms have not been established with respect to its use. Social norms exist to facilitate means of communicating that are inoffensive, avoid conflict, and foster understanding between parties. Norms or etiquette about social media use are still being established. Also users are likely unaware that other users understanding of the purpose of communication may be different from their own. It is only human nature to assume people are like us.
So why do standards of behavior in real life sometimes fail to extend into online life? Some experts have theorized probabilities. One is that social media creates a sense of euphoria that is felt by the user when they initiate mass communication almost instantly. This euphoria diminishes the user’s awareness of the effect of his or her actions on other people, a lack of inhibition so to speak. This inhibition is a result of the users sense of aloneness while online which is in a sense a false feeling. Thus a person might act more rashly online that in real life.
Social etiquette dictates that we show respect to others by not ignoring their social advances. Online social media encourages the establishment of relationships and the affirmation of them. This is right in line with the caring and compassion a nurse has a part of her professional life. Therefore to connect to colleagues and patients online can be very appealing to a nurse. However, maintaining professional boundaries can become difficult.
Theorists have noted that social media users think socially, which they say can preclude logical thinking. It is true that social thinking and personal expression have different purposes than a professional interaction. But is it true that social and logical thinking are mutually exclusive?
Any communication a nurse has with a patient must remain within the therapeutic relationship boundaries, and he or she must make that clear at all times. A nurse has a duty at all times to safeguard both the confidentiality and privacy of a patient. Confidentiality and privacy are related but not the same. Both are grounded in the trust relationship between a nurse and patient. Confidentiality involves safeguarding patient information and privacy ensures that the patient’s dignity and rights are respected. Social media has a tendency to strike at both those concepts. In fact the founder of one prominent social media site has acknowledged that it has changed users’ privacy expectations. The desire to share and connect has meant that they have given up their desire to keep their personal info private. But for nurses that doesn’t mean they can impose that lack of inhibition on their patients’ lives. And nurses for the most part do not purposely trample on patients’ rights. It is more inadvertent and ignorant actions that have brought harm to patients, medical centers, and educational institutions’ reputations and nurses themselves.
So how can nurses have a productive and fun online presence? Certainly there are many good reasons to join a social network both for personal professional advancement and to contribute to the advancement of nursing and health care in general. SM is here to stay albeit not in the form we see today.
Marshall McLuhan noted far in advance of the internet that in the past change in media occurred at a pace where users could adapt their culture and norms to absorb its impact in a positive manner. Today that is not the case. Communication and technology are changing at such a rapid pace that users cannot adapt their culture, values, and attitudes in a productive and reflective manner. For nurses this means they must be vigilant in their self reflection of social media use. They must be aware that everything they do should uphold their chosen profession. For social media is the antithesis of the regulatory environment. Nurses must navigate the grey area that is the overlap between professional and private life. Part 2 will outline some ways to do that.
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