facebook "stalking" as a nurse?

jen7393 · Jan 12, 2011

I have never worried about it because my entire name and address are listed on the Dept of Nursing website. It would not be hard to find any nurse that holds a license.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

Yeah, I hear peoples' concerns about facebook all the time so I guess they aren't aware of the privacy settings? It's very easy to control who does and does not have access to you on facebook.

Facebook likes to change their privacy settings and reset things with minimal notice, so it's important to check regularly to make sure you have things how you want them, but yeah, it seems like people don't know about privacy settings. Or hiding people, or groups, etc.

April, RN, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

I hate that we have our first and last names on our ID badges. I had my last name covered for awhile but was told I couldn't do that because we have to have our first and last names on our badges. No one has ever been able to give me a straight answer as to why, though. Thankfully, I've never been stalked but have co-workers who have been. One nurse got multiple phone calls at home. The person didn't identify himself but told he her knew who she was and knew about her appearance, her home, her car, etc. She contacted police but they said they couldn't do anything about it at that point. They figured it was a former patient and the calls did eventually stop. Scary though!

fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

fyi, in addition to the privacy settings, you can also make yourself invisible in a search. so when people search your name, you will not show up in the results.

Up2nogood RN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

Facebook is useless to a stalker as long as you use the privacy settings. Now the general Internet is a different story. I can't remember the name of the site but it listed my full name and address. Yikes. Facebook stalking seems pretty harmless compared to the real thing.

Our last name is not required on our name tags at my hospital system. In fact management encouraged us to get new ones when the policy went through a few years ago.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

In several states, it is a legal requirement for licensed caregivers to have full names on IDs clearly visible.

And many facilities, the requirement to have the full name on the badge, barring a reason not to. We are professionals caring for vulnerable pts, and as such, it is considered their right to know our identity and be able to check our records, just as they can check an MDs history, a hairdressers, etc. For that matter even if your name is not on the ID, they will have access via their medical record, which they have a right to.

While we may not like it, pts and public's rights supersede our own, as far as them knowing their caregiver. But if they abuse that right, we have the right to take legal action.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

I was just sitting here thinking and thought, wow at my hospital we wear name tags that say our position, first name and last name.
**Does anyone ever worry about some patients who dont have your best interest in mind to try and find you on facebook and kind of stalk you?
** Has anyone had this happen to them, where a former patient kept bothering them via facebook?
** Has anyone had a patient literally stalk you? Do you ever worry about wearing name tags with your full name on it?
**What did you do to stop it?
** Do you think a full name is required on a name tag?
Im not saying all people will do that but working in the medical feild we all come into contact with a ton of people on a daily basis and some might not be the safest people ever either, it was just a thought on this name tag thing. What are your opinons on it.

Nurses are professionals and it is time we started acting like it.

Lawyers...do not "hide" their names...the public has a right to know who they are getting legal advice from.

Physicians, do not "hide" their names.

Police officers and Judges...can you imagine how many people they upset every day? By law, you have a right to know the name of your accused and who is convicting you...they are also, professionals.

Social Workers...they sometimes take children away from their parents...can you imagine who they upset? Yet they do not "hide" their names.

Real Estate Agents...also licensed professionals...they don't hide their names either.

Teachers, college professors..don't hide their names.

SO WHY DO NURSES, WHO CLAIM WE ARE PROFESSIONALS, WORRY ABOUT THE PUBLIC KNOWING WHO WE ARE? Being female is NOT an acceptable reason. The public have a right to know who they are getting care from, especially when state law requires that same professional to have a valid license...I do not advocate removal of ANY name from a name tag at the hospital..period.

If we are going to be professionals, then we need to start acting like it...I guarantee that not a single person can post a VERIFYABLE source, where nurses are of a higher target for violence than any other profession.

If you are worried about facebook, then BLOCK your profile from being searchable....which is an option you have!!!!!

netglow, ASN, RN · Jan 12, 2011

I have no use for facebook. Never had a problem just talking to, or using email to keep in touch with friends or family.

FrogKissingNurse · Jan 12, 2011

forget about facebook...have you ever googled yourself or looked on yellowpages.com? yellow pages tells you the names and age range for everyone in the household, street address and phone number.

i do think it is a good idea to not have your last name on your name badge. if someone wants to stalk you, its better to make them work a little for it.

Noimanurse · Jan 12, 2011

I believe your first name and position on your badge is acceptable. The stalking issue is very rare, but can be very serious. I think it is wrong to have a last name on the badge. As any of us know, there are a lot of crazies out there, while patients have rights...we also have rights...our families have rights. We are nurses by trade, we aren't nurses because we committed a crime and are forced to serve, we aren't drafted to be nurses. If we don't take care of our self, who will take care of our patients? First name, RN, work place name, and picture is on my badge.

Noimanurse · Jan 12, 2011

Nurses are professionals and it is time we started acting like it.
Lawyers...do not "hide" their names...the public has a right to know who they are getting legal advice from.
Physicians, do not "hide" their names.
Police officers and Judges...can you imagine how many people they upset every day? By law, you have a right to know the name of your accused and who is convicting you...they are also, professionals.
Social Workers...they sometimes take children away from their parents...can you imagine who they upset? Yet they do not "hide" their names.
Real Estate Agents...also licensed professionals...they don't hide their names either.
Teachers, college professors..don't hide their names.
SO WHY DO NURSES, WHO CLAIM WE ARE PROFESSIONALS, WORRY ABOUT THE PUBLIC KNOWING WHO WE ARE? Being female is NOT an acceptable reason. The public have a right to know who they are getting care from, especially when state law requires that same professional to have a valid license...I do not advocate removal of ANY name from a name tag at the hospital..period.
If we are going to be professionals, then we need to start acting like it...I guarantee that not a single person can post a VERIFYABLE source, where nurses are of a higher target for violence than any other profession.
If you are worried about facebook, then BLOCK your profile from being searchable....which is an option you have!!!!!

If lawyers show their name for advertisement (to promote their business), I'm sure there are plenty of times they use only their first name to protect their self or their families....but again, the use their name to promote their paycheck. Same with real estate agents or insurance agents, they use their name to increase their paycheck.

Police officers and judges often take extra security to hide their identity (gates at homes, face masks, etc.) I wonder why? Ever hear of judges being shot in their home? I have. I've never heard of a nurse being shot in their home for being a nurse, maybe there is a reason.

I been involved with the child welfare system, often times the last name is not used. Yes, they generally have to have a name tag or id card of some kind, but they too take extra precautions to protect them self and their families, because people do get upset when kids are taken out of their home. They also work hand in hand with police and the legal system so they have a bit more protection close at hand.

Ever hear of a teacher or college professor getting shot or attacked for being a teacher or college professor? I have.

Yes, patients certainly have rights. I respect those rights and enjoy providing those rights to my patients. I have rights as a member of this country and above all my kids have rights. I'm a male nurse so I stick out, I'm 6'9", so I stick out, I'm 300 lbs., so I stick out, I run 1/2 marathons and jog all over town, so I stick out. My wife and I have a full size van to haul our large family (we don't fit in a mini-van) so we stick out. We live in a small town, so yes, we stick out. People know us, I know I'm listed on the state's professional license site, but if I'm treating a psych patient or intoxicated person or some other crazy situation and I don't want to share my last name...well, that is why at my facility first names work. If there is a complaint or concern by patients, well that is why there is administration.

dadda11o · Jan 12, 2011

Unless you're on my friends list, you're not going to find out anything about me on my Facebook.
You know what's interesting, though...we have a nurse in our department who frequently "looks up" patients on Facebook. Does this person really have nothing better to do?

I am posting a thread elsewhere, but this is interesting, especially in light of this last comment. This summer, I learned that my husband had been invited to a nurse's house for "lunch" (he had been receiving outpatient IV therapy for a foot ulcer t/r diabetes). He lied and said he was going to a male friend's. His story unraveled after I found her cell # in the car. I called the hospital, spoke with her and asked her to stop. I was assured by both "that was it". He disappeared a few months later for a weekend. You guessed right . . . I'm currently using facebook for communicating ... but not my preference. He has an attorney and is still seeing the nurse ... tells me he's going to marry her after he gets done with me. She has access to more info on me by virtue of records and observations when I was with my husband during treatment ... you can be stalked no matter what your work is ... I worked retail and went through it way before facebook ... restraining order, had to move etc. Now the nurse has obtained a restraining order against me for "stalking"; by the grace of God, I have a recording of the conversation we had when I ran into her at my husband's job and a receipt for my counseling session (both of which she uses as basis for the P.O., but she showed up after me); the last issue is that I was calling her employer about the relationship and claims that constitutes stalking. If you have a co-worker checking out patients' facebooks during time on the unit, I'd be concerned. If nothing else, there are probably nursing duties they should be attending to...but I am also thinking of the "slippery slope" in boundary maintenance. What happens when they find a patient that they're just a little bit more interested in than the casual browse? You could be implicated if you have knowledge and something untoward happens...I've got two kids and I guarantee we're all hurting. If a colleague that had noticed some of the things going on with the nurse (told me they didn't want to "get involved") could feel the pain and the panic attacks, they might have reported out of compassion as well as duty. :crying2: