NRS 451 Professionalism and Social Media GCU

NRS 451 Professionalism and Social Media GCU

The use of social media among nurses and nurse students is essential for both personal and professional lives as the various platforms allow them to communicate and share happy moments with their families, friends, and colleagues. Social media facilitates professional networking by allowing nurses to connect and interact with colleagues. Smart et al. (2022) pose that while social media has many benefits for nurses and nursing students, it also presents challenges that can contradict professional guidelines issued by regulatory bodies like the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and professional associations like the American Nurses Association (ANA). The purpose of this paper is to review and describe my social media platforms to ascertain if they contain items that are unprofessional and could be detrimental to my career as well as have negative effects on the reputation of the nursing field.

Inappropriate Posts and Conversations

I analyzed the various social media platforms that I use like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to identify posts and conversations that could be classified as inappropriate based on expected ethical and professional guidelines and requirements. For instance, in one post on Facebook, I celebrated finishing a night shift that morning by captioning the procedures that we had involving an emergency case of a teen girl who had presented with difficulty in breathing and got scared. However, the diagnosis revealed that she only had a rise in blood pressure due to prolonged anxiety and stress. We laughed off such a situation that had made us worried. I explained that the patient had made our nigh uncomfortable and should be serious next time. As I celebrated the shift end, I realized that such a post was unprofessional because as a nurse, I have a duty to offer care to patients. I also complained in the post that nursing is involving and a profession aimed at draining all energy. Another post on a different day shows use of profane language in relation to a patient who was uncivil and almost engaging in an altercation with a colleague. These posts were unprofessional since, I am expected to uphold certain standards to protect the nursing practice, profession, personal reputation and image and above patient’s privacy and confidentiality.

Responsibility in Upholding Standards of Conduct & HIPAA

Nurses have an obligation to maintain and uphold standards of conduct consistent with the requirements and guidelines governing the profession while at work and in their personal lives for many reasons. Firstly, the standards guide and promote nursing practice and should not be breached. Secondly, the set standards aim at promoting patient safety and privacy as well as making nurses accountable for their decisions and actions. Thirdly, these standards are critical to improving nurses’ competency and level of care offered to patients and health populations (Smart et al., 2022). Privacy and confidentiality requirements, especially under the Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA)’s protected health information, implore providers not to disclose patient health information without their express consent.

Upholding professional standards is essential at personal level since such aspects help nurses to make better decisions in care provision. Personal standards of conduct like having concern for patients is important because it demonstrates respect and upholding of patient’s privacy. Nurses should not post patient’s health information because such actions abridge their core duty of protecting them and ensuring quality care outcomes (Lefebvre et al., 2020). inappropriate conduct, especially through poor use of social media, damages one’s professional reputation and image. Nurses also become susceptible to fines, job losses, and even permanent or temporary revocation of their licenses.

The use of profane language, infringement on patient confidentiality and privacy, images depicting intoxication or sexually suggestive aspects and disparaging comments concerning patients and even employers has serious implications on one’s care and the nursing profession (Sushim et al., 2023). The implication is that nurses must be cognizant of these aspects and focus on effective personal conduct that befits the profession.

Social Media Activity Reflecting Christian Values

Christian values are essential for nurses as they deal with patients from different background, some practicing Christianity. Respect for human value and dignity of all individual is a core aspect of Christian value system as they believe that all are equal and created in God’s image. The inherent dignity of human beings should not be curtailed due to their diversity (Vukušić Rukavina et al., 2021). The areas of the social med