Confidentiality and social networking

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Hello! I am a nursing student working on a class presentation about social media and nursing. Have you or someone you know gotten into trouble with patient confidentiality through social networking sites (like Facebook)? Have you worked on an ethics board dealing with such a case?

If so, I'd love to hear your story (posted here or emailed to me) and possibly interview you via email so I can help future nurses avoid similar issues.

Thank you so much!

[email protected]

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

I did a quick google search of "Nurse fired Facebook" and found several articles that describe the situations you're looking for.

I'm glad you're going this project, but really, it amazes me that nurses/students even need to be educated about this issue. Where has common sense gone? Social media is for socializing. The workplace is for working. Don't mix the two, and there will be nothing to worry about.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Welcome to AN! The largest online nursing comunity.

Nurses confidentiality and social media: Let me google that for you

Nurse fired facebook: Let me google that for you

AN search...Nurse fired social media: Google Search Results for nurses fired for socialmedia

Here are several sources and some that are from a search right here at AN.

Good Luck!

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Thanks for all the suggestions to just Google! Unfortunately, this is not usable material for my project. I should have been a little clearer - I ultimately need to personally interview someone with experience in this area, so I was hoping to connect with someone from this board who has been involved in such a case or investigated one. But I am welcoming stories as well!

I am also trying to contact people directly who have posted about this issue, but thought it couldn't hurt to put the call out as well - so please, if you'd like your story to be heard, give me an email!

Thanks,

[email protected]

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

May I make a suggestion?

Please contact a nurse manager or HR supervisor in your area and ask for a brief personal interview for your school project.

It amazes me that students consider, and teachers accept "blind" correspondence with anonymous internet contacts as interviews for the purposes of school assignments.

As an instructor, I would not, and would grade a project accordingly.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

YOU took the words right out of my mouth Jolie. Conducting an interview in a vital skill to the practice of being a nurse when interviesing patients and asking questions of an intimate nature that we want them to give us answers to a complete stranger.

The resources I Googled for you are about documented cases of HIPAA violations and cases of lawsuits concerning violations and facebook. LMGTFY is a tongue in cheek reminder that the resources are out there but it is also a great serach engine and I get great results.

I wish you the best.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Not only that, but getting to speak with a Nurse Manager, in a setting prior to job hunting, can only help you!

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Specializes in Oncology.

You don't discuss confidential patient information on social networking. If you can't discuss it in front of strangers, don't put it online. I disagree with people who say "never complain about your job" or "always be positive" cause I have certainly posted things like, what a rough day at work, glad to be home, or about how I am stressed. But confidential info or HIPAA violations are clearly a no no.

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