Be Careful When Posting

[TheCommuter]

As many of you are already aware, allnurses.com is the largest online nursing community on the world wide web and one of the most commonly visited professional social networks in existence today. The variety of forums, sheer number of wonderful members, supportive atmosphere, and constant exchange of information all contribute to making this website a fantastic virtual place for spending one's free time.

Personally, I became a member more than seven years ago while I was a student at a school of vocational nursing (LVN). As I have grown professionally and personally in the nursing field, allnurses.com has been right there with me. During my tenure here, I have completed an LVN program, graduated from an RN bridge program, and worked as a nurse for more than six years. I am still amazed at the fact that I continue to learn new tidbits on an almost daily basis while browsing these informative forums.

This message is a friendly, heartfelt reminder to exercise the utmost caution when posting personal information about you, your school, classmates, instructors, coworkers, and place of employment. After all, allnurses.com is the largest online community of nurses and nursing students, and clever readers are more than capable of putting two and two together to come up with you.

Even if you have not posted the name of your school, your workplace's name, or your exact geographic location, some inquisitive people have been able to read the very detailed posts and figure out that the member is someone with whom they are acquainted 'in real life.' In fact, this scenario has played out on more than one occasion.

While these forums are generally safe to vent and release some steam, think twice before insulting your professors or posting too much information about the patients and families that you encounter during your clinical rotations. Tread carefully when posting vivid details about the annoying classmate or the critical coworker. Exercise some caution when criticizing your nursing program. You absolutely do not want any posted material to come back and haunt you at a later date.

In summary, be careful when posting. Continue to enjoy the multiple forums, fellow members, continual flow of information, and abundant resources that make allnurses.com the biggest and best online nursing community on the internet today. After all, this website would not be the same without your great posts, opinions, contributions, viewpoints, and discourse. I know that I speak for others when I say that we love having you all here. You, the readers, are the reason that allnurses.com rocks!

[Stephalump]

Ah, but I seriously doubt that you'd post one like [email protected] ....right?

>

Hah! Poor Bobby Sampson is going to wake up to an inbox full of Viagra ads and Nigerian money scams.

[OB-nurse2013, BSN, RN]

I post under the assumption that everyone already knows who I am: that is, I don't say anything here that I wouldn't own up to saying in real life. The strategy has worked pretty well online for the last 18 years...I find it makes life much easier that way, as well as keeps me out of trouble.

Thats how I feel about Facebook too..Mine is private but even if someone could somehow see something I wouldn't care because I never post anything that I wouldn't say in real life.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I would also be especially careful if you are going to use an actual picture of yourself as your avatar.

You mean that's NOT your cap!?!A few years ago I lived in a town that had an online newspaper. Anyone could post anything undera screen name. I picked a name that hadnothing to do with what I do or where I worked. One of my coworkers told me he spotted my post because it had tone and a clarity of style. I never posted there again.

[PennyWise]

Yeah, I decided to go with a real picture of myself despite the fact that I'm well known. I figure......meh........I've scared enough people to not have to worry about it.

All kidding aside though, I find this new trend of using actual photos of yourself baffling. I was so surprised by it the first time I saw it, I was beside myself. I guess if you honestly don't plan on saying anything controversial no harm can come from it but..........."perception is reality".

What I mean is, I can very easily see someone posting something they don't consider offensive or controversial but getting in trouble because someone else (a boss, a vindictive coworker) does. If your picture is right there then..........better hope cooler/more rational heads prevail when you do. Shot, I know nurses who scan Facebook hoping to catch someone else saying something so they can print the page and run to the manager with it.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Solution: More threads of people burned by stalkers, employers, and family members because of too-easily-identified posts on AN. (OK, OK, no more green font as a choice, and no more Comic Sans ... a pity ... I will miss being able to scan for me and Ruby please reconsider ... )

[jt43]

It's disappointing that one cannot remove their own posts here should they decide the post contains too much identifying information. If there is a way, I haven't discovered it yet.

[Jolie, BSN]

I am one who has recognized a co-worker via posted information that I'm certain s/he believed to be sufficiently vague. I have never acknowledged this to said co-worker, because I thoroughly enjoy reading his/her spin on topics, but I have shared the person's screen persona with others who are similarly amused by reading these questionable perceptions of "reality."

Take home lesson: Don't turn yourself into entertainment for co-workers.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

It's disappointing that one cannot remove their own posts here should they decide the post contains too much identifying information. If there is a way, I haven't discovered it yet.

Members with paid memberships may edit their posts at any time.

Members with free memberships have approximately five minutes after the initial submission of the post to edit it. After this window of opportunity has elapsed, the member must visit the Help Desk and privately request for the post in question to be deleted. The link to the Help Desk can be located at the very bottom of every web page on these forums. :)

[LCinTraining]

I post with my image to remind myself not to say anything I wouldn't say to an employer. People need to always be self conscious that even if things are "private" people have ways of finding information.

I don't ever talk about work. I rarely speak of school. O.k. once I said something about work, but it was vague and a simple "sometimes my patient's circumstances move me to tears of compassion". Nothing more. I do not discuss issues with coworkers, and try hard to avoid even voicing my disgruntledness (if I have any) with coworkers, because it will ALWAYS get back to someone, and normally the wrong someone.

I once made the mistake of saing vaguely I was upset with someone on dayshift (I work nights), and within a day, someone on day shift was calling me saying they heard I was mad at them. Yet, I never even named an individual. The person who called was not on my bad list. I actually adored that person, but it was lesson learned, trust no one. I'm lucky to like almost every single person that I work with, so it makes things easier when bad things happen. It's a rarity to love your job and coworkers and I am happy to be where I am.

Normally I discuss my children. Or my personal life adventures. My patient's lives, however, are not mine to share.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I cautioned a student on the student forum about using real names and email addresses (especially those including their actual names!). I have cautioned against photos and insanely clear identifiers.

All I got for my trouble were the attitudes/responses that it was "no big deal".

Me, I'm all for sharing only what you'd be willing to post on your employer's bulletin board--complete with your photo!

Exact same thing happened to me. Wanted to hear nothing about what I was saying..okee dokee, leave your full name and city/state in your bio, the ramifications of doing that will then fall on you. Don't say you weren't warned.

[RonnieNichelle RN]

Couldn't have said it better myself TheCommuter! You must have read my mind... This is like a breath of fresh air, because I fear for those who post too much info. Lol. Thank you!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

And you know what? While the primary focus here on this thread is how you can be identified by employers and co-workers, I'm MORE concerned (MUCH more, actually!) about the possibility of a crazoid.

Someone who maybe thinks they "know" someone by their posting...and wants to get closer. And now here's the unsuspecting person posting their photo, hours they're at work, hours they're at school (and the school is of course posted), where they go when they're not home, the names of their kids and their schools. And I can't help but wonder when the next time an AN member is going to make the headlines in a tragedy because they led someone DIRECTLY to their door.