Nurse’s Ethical and Professional Responsibilities When Promoting Health on Social Media

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Social media is a public space open to everyone everywhere. For personal and professional purposes, nurses use social media every day. There are many benefits, risks, and responsibilities when promoting health on internet platforms. The risks associated with social media usage by nurses are: HIPPA violations, loss of job and/or license, and lawsuits (Wells, 2024). They can be prevented by following the next best practices recommendations: 

• Know privacy settings of platforms used 

• Know employer’s professional conduct policy 

• Avoid posting on social media during work hours 

• Avoid taking photos and videos at work 

• Blur/cover professional badge in photos 

• Avoid sharing employer’s logos 

• Avoid sharing Protected Health Information (PHI) 

• Report patient privacy violations 

• Share credible health information 

• Use a respectful/professional tone 

• Maintain professional boundaries with patients and loved ones 

• Consider identity theft 

• Identify content that includes compensated material 

References 

Wells, S. K. (2024, February 19). Do’s and don’ts of social media use for nursing professionals. Blog. https://www.aacn.org/blog/dos-and-donts-of-social-media-use-for-nursing-professionals?sc_camp=CDAFD0FFF9ED405F83BE386F309AAA29