Another nurse bites the dust due to facebook

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I don't know the woman in question, yet news reports acknowledge that facebook has caused another job termination casualty in the nursing community. I know there are numerous posts regarding this topic, yet I figure sharing this may help someone think twice when placing job/career related postings on facebook no matter how private you think your posts are!Follow the link to see why. What would you do?

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I still disagree. I think this particular case is ridiculous to FIRE someone.

First of all, it's such a broad statement. The term "A cop-killer" itself is broad. Even though it's a bit obvious about what she's talking about due to the article, and how it is presented in the context...she could have probably taken this to a court and argued that she was talking about something completely irrelevant to a patient, the hospital, etc. She could argue that she was talking about a video game or a dream, or song lyrics and there really would be no way to disprove her argument. She really didn't disclose any information. I think a warning and/or suspension would have been enough.

And she'd have been a liar and someone I'd want working as a nurse even less.

It doesn't matter if just about all of the people who saw her FB post are complete strangers and wouldn't know who she was talking about. To the ONE person who knows where she worked and saw information on the shooting in the media, the identity of the patient she is referring to is beyond obvious.

It doesn't matter if it was a "bad" person, HIPAA applies to every patient. She showed an extreme lack of judgment, she's paying the price for it and is compounding her problems by talking to the media. I wouldn't touch her resume with a 10 foot pole.

And with the media perpetually spelling it HIPPA it's no wonder most people still can't 'spell' it right.

Specializes in Tele, CVIU.

HIPPA is no joke. She should have known better. I don't post anything about my job on Facebook. Tough lesson for her.

A very good reason to check your privacy settings...and not put anyone that you work with on your friends list.

Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

Personally, I think we have gone a little overboard with HIPPA. I am surprised we even let visitors in to see patients now (sarcasm of course). I do not believe she should have been fired either. Was it poor judgment ...YES...she should have used her resources at work to decompress, such as EPA or understanding co-workers..not FaceBook.

Specializes in Rehab, Step-down,Tele,Hospice.

This is exactly one of the resaons why I recently shut my Facebook acct down, If I feel the need to vent I will call my friends to chat. No more of my private life on public domains.

Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

I used the name of my employer a few months ago to see how many people identified themselves on FB, and was appalled to see how many there were! I do NOT list my employer, and never ever say anything about work, other than maybe an occasional nod to a vacation or holiday upcoming "x days of work til I can whatever". I would NEVER ever list a current employer on one of those sites. Or mention anything work or patient related. Those things could come back and bite hard!!!

Has she not heard of HIPPA?? I say she got what she deserved. Maybe on her next job she will think before she blabs online.

Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

My son and his friends try to "friend" as many people on fb as possible. I know that these are not people they are really close to because when I ask he will tell me "oh, that's just a kid in my class". It reminds me of a lot of these idiots that I work with and their fb pages. They "friend" everyone on the floor. If you saw my fb you would think I was the stinky, fat kid. I have nobody from work because after I leave work I also want to leave you. If I want to talk to you I will call or see you in 12 hours.

I've always said, "Work is work...home is home"...who wants to talk about or post stuff about work on your time off, nursing is stressful enough & we all need our home time!!

Specializes in med-surg,ortho,oncology,teaching.

We don't know everything she posted on her fb. In the article it also states that "She also posted another remark we can't repeat." It may not have been the "cop killer" remark but the other remark she made. I have several people from work on my fb because they are also friends out of work. I do not however post comments about work on fb and my privacy settings are set as far as I can make them private.

Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.

what an idiot. I am having a hard time finding sympathy for her especially since she cannot acknowledge what she did wrong in this situation.

I think fighting the termination is going to come back and bite her where the sun don't shine. Oi vey.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Neuro, ICU, travel RN, Psych.

Too many people just post things without thinking about what they are actually saying, or how others will percieve it. I have never understood the people who put their whole life out on FB or Twitter or Myspace. I use FB, but I put generic stuff, or updates about my daughter.

I work with a CNA who I am sorta friends with outside work. She put I hate stupid nurses on her page one day. While she was referring to one specific incident, and I knew what she meant, she has multiple people from work on her friends. So all these nurses she works with saw that. They were NOT happy!

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