Awesome FB Groups for TN

Also, i like that these groups are closed or secret, so this way i dont have to worry about my FB friends seeing my posts to these groups on their feeds. One reason why i no longer belong to the Gypsy Nurse groups (which are public).

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

I'm really going to have to learn more about Facebook. But from the context of your post, privacy is a good thing for those discussing specific agency or hospital issues (had no idea that might work on FB). Agencies and hospitals read social media and I've seen a number of nurses reveal enough on the forums I do hang out in to easily be identified personally by that agency or hospital they are having an issue with and that lands them in hot water. The real name requirements on FB means even less privacy than the screen names on traditional forums.

Stuff posted on the internet is persistent, and searchable. That is a big problem for privacy and employee/employer relations. When employers read (often alerted by someone else who recognizes the employer from context) even anonymous posts, they can look at other posts and often identify the poster from other clues from even years ago. I've read many anecdotes of this happening on travel nurse forums, sometimes resulting in immediate termination, but in no way helping with the issue the nurse was posting about. Sometimes just the situational context is more than enough to know who was posting.

I starting hanging out in travel nurse forums in 2002. Even back then, I recognized the need for privacy. No, NedRN is not my real name! I also don't post about my own employment situation until no harm can be done. But it is a difficult problem for a traveler with a real issue that they need immediate advice about.

Also, i like that these groups are closed or secret, so this way i dont have to worry about my FB friends seeing my posts to these groups on their feeds. One reason why i no longer belong to the Gypsy Nurse groups (which are public).

I asked Candy at Gypsy Nurse about this today and this is her reply:

Re: FB privacy

We do offer a member the option to allow us to post for them in delicate situations. This maintains their anonymity and still allows for the question to be answered. We also do remind the members frequently that the posts are public and anyone can see/read them.

It's certainly a growing issue.

Candy aka "Gypsy Nurse, RN"