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?

For those who say "where's the harm" I say... Where's the benefit? I think often when nurses stay "friends" with patients they're using the patients to meet some unmet need of their own. I don't expect anyone who does it to agree with that, but I have observed it. And if I even consider accepting a request like that or letting down my boundaries with a patient in any way, I stop and examine my motivation. It's generally about ME in some way--for instance, it feels good when the patient trusts/likes me and part of me wants to keep that feeling going. But that isn't an appropriate part of the nurse/patient relationship. The nurse shouldn't be gaining from it. If I think I want to see how the patient progresses and moves forward, again, why? Is that a benefit to the patient? I'm happy to see old patients if they stop by very occasionally when they're visiting someone else or at PT, but otherwise, you have to met patients go.

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Me neither. I don't want to talk to my old HS boy friends, let alone patients!

My old high school boyfriend has never tried to contact me via FB - notice I only had one. Sort of a socially inept wallflower in high school. :nailbiting:

No. But, then, I can't for the life of me imagine why anyone is on Facebook or the other social networking sites to begin with.

You sound like my best friend who is a teacher. She gives me crap all the time about being on FB. She would be appalled that teachers are befriending their students on FB as others have noted.

I joined FB when I went to Vietnam in order to keep in touch with those folks and to share photos. I've expanded my FB "friends" since then but no patients.

I'm friends there with AN peeps and have met up with some of them in person.

I think like everything, if we are careful, FB or other sites (AN) can be fine.

But I do see people going overboard. Funny thing - FB is for old folks. My kids all have FB accounts but rarely ever post there. I think Instagram is the go-to place but I could very well be wrong.

To answer the OP's question, I agree with the consensus here and say NO to having former patients as FB friends.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Me neither. I don't want to talk to my old HS boy friends, let alone patients!

But then you can't talk to me!

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But then you can't talk to me!

O'Rly???

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O'Rly???

hmmm, is it boyfriend or patient?

*get out popcorn*

*visualizes sand through the hourglass like days of our lives*

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hmmm, is it boyfriend or patient?

*get out popcorn*

*visualizes sand through the hourglass like days of our lives*

I used to watch that show but stopped when Bo and Hope broke up.

I'm not on FB at all. Not my thang.

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Ooogh. ^ I get it now. *slaps my head and waits for a V8*

OCN is a COB. With whom I PM, text, speak to on the phone, and generally stalk.

I think she was poking me.

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hmmm, is it boyfriend or patient?

*get out popcorn*

*visualizes sand through the hourglass like days of our lives*

And THIS is O'Rly!

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But then you can't talk to me!

We need to be FB friends . . . . :)

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Far's bitmoji reminds me of a special friend I used to have, until she got deflated.

Good times.

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Far's bitmoji reminds me of a special friend I used to have, until she got deflated.

Good times.

Dude.

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Dude.

I waited to see if you were gonna like it before I replied. HaHa!

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