Facebook nurses and patients

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Should a nurse befriend a former patient when that patient sends a friend request. I have seen both positive and negative outcomes when this happens, what is your opinion?

Specializes in Hospice.
What if they become a patient again?

Well, not likely in my case, as she was a Hospice patient. But I know what you mean.

In my case, the FB relationship with her son consists of him putting up a pic of his dog once a month or so, and me telling him to give puppy scritches, and to say hi to his dad. I deliberately keep it light and superficial.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
If they become a patient in your unit, can't you just go to the nurse manager and tell her that patient is your Facebook friend and that you would rather not care for that patient, and ask if someone else can?

I have a personal caregiver who is a NA at our local hospital, and she told me that as long as I am her client I'm not allowed to befriend her on Facebook, but should she leave the organization, she would let me know.

It just seems so much easier to not have that be a problem & not be Facebook friends with any former patients in the first place. If I was a NM & one of my nurses told me that, I think my jaw would drop. That would be a very unprofessional thing to do.

There is a line nurses shouldn't cross. Adding former patients to your social networking site is crossing that line.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Befriending former patients on social media definitely violates professional boundaries. There are too many possibilities that things can go sideways. The repercussions could cost a nurse her job, her peace of mind, even her license...it's just not worth the risk.

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Specializes in Burn, ICU.

My cousin is a teacher and FBs all her students. I think it is totally inappropriate.

Yeesh! For school-age kids? All it takes is someone posting something 'inappropriate' to your cousin's wall and all her students can see it...and all their parents can complain!

Before I was a nurse, I worked for a private university. 99% of our students were typical college students--above age 18, etc... University policy STILL required that university employees not engage in social media interactions with students. Too many chances for 'inappropriate' contact, and--let's be honest--too many chances for the University's name to be sullied by poor choices in tagging/linking etc. Example- 19 year old student photographed with beer at a party (the drinking age is 21 in the US). Posts "having a great time after finals!!!" Tags all their professors and also the University....now anyone else who searches the University sees that post. (Yes, the student could still post it even if they weren't friends with their professors. But then at least the professors have some plausible-deniability about the underage drinking...it's all about the image!)

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
If they become a patient in your unit, can't you just go to the nurse manager and tell her that patient is your Facebook friend and that you would rather not care for that patient, and ask if someone else can?

I have a personal caregiver who is a NA at our local hospital, and she told me that as long as I am her client I'm not allowed to befriend her on Facebook, but should she leave the organization, she would let me know.

Boundaries.

I can just see telling a nurse manager that you don't want to take care of any of the frequent fliers because they're all your FaceBook friends. I'm sure that would go over will with your colleagues, too. (NOT!)

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I don't see anything wrong with it as long as the patient is a FORMER patient. What's wrong with keeping in touch?

What is the point or benefit of doing so? IMO (and experience), there is no potential benefit and plenty of potential risks. To me, it's not an option because most "FORMER" clients can become a current client again at any time, and the social relationship complicates (entirely unnecessarily) the professional, therapeutic relationship.

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If they become a patient in your unit, can't you just go to the nurse manager and tell her that patient is your Facebook friend and that you would rather not care for that patient, and ask if someone else can?

And what if everyone on your unit shared your views on this, and all the nursing staff on the unit were Facebook friends with that person? Then what?

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I am not on Facebook, but 15 years ago I had a family member of a patient who died show up on my doorstep the day after Christmas. They WILL hunt you down, don't make it easy for them by "friending" them! I say NEVER!!!!

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I have friended a patient on FB. I don't post any inappropriate things on my status so I don't see anything wrong with it. It's been a couple of years now........... No headaches, regret or problem from it, just friendly mutual likes from both (I wouldn't tolerate anything less). The best part is that I've gotten to see them living a fulfilling life.

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No no no no no and did I say no!!! While you're at it delete Facebook as well it will cause you nothing but problems!!!!

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I would never friend or accept a patient friend request on Facebook. Oh and never never post any type of work photo with a coworker or a selfie because any thing that you don't notice in background of picture such as a chart, a patient walking by etc could get you fired. Also I'm sure most of you have heard the story on news last year of a ER nurse who posted a picture on Instagram of a empty trauma room where a man had been treated that was hit by a subway train and titled the picture Man VS 6 Train, The After, etc. of what the ER room looked like after treating a trauma patient. She was Fired.

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Don't do it...

You get exponential increases in your game invites.

**shudders**

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