Another nurse bites the dust due to facebook

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I don't know the woman in question, yet news reports acknowledge that facebook has caused another job termination casualty in the nursing community. I know there are numerous posts regarding this topic, yet I figure sharing this may help someone think twice when placing job/career related postings on facebook no matter how private you think your posts are!Follow the link to see why. What would you do?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.
as far as facebook privacy settings go, even if you set it to "friends only"--how do you know that one of your facebook friends doesn't have your profile pulled up and showing other people he/she knows in person your facebook page/pics/info?

happened a lot where i used to work

this is so true! listen up people....like other posters have said, there is no real privacy on fb, regardless of your settings, for the very reason state above.

A woman I work with, who is a known gossiper, requested me as a friend. I steathily declined. I have no time for people who gossip.

I need advice. about a month ago I messaged a former employee of my work on fb stating..."how is your new job?! I'm itching to get the hell out," referencing an ongoing discussion that nurse and I had regarding CA nursing job market and my financial strain. The D.O.N at my work saw the post and took it to mean I was itching to get the hell out of my job. She then took the mis-conceived information and used my name and the post as an example to explain that she can see what is on fb to my nursing peers, CNA staff, business personnel, and anyone else who would listen. She de-famed my character according to one of the nurses listening to her rant. I came in to work early to confront her and explain myself. She laughed when she acknowledged using my name and told me that she would cry and she was me. She also posted "be careful what you wish for" on the original fb thread. I now work in a threatening environment where my nursing peers and CNA staff believe I hate my job etc etc. I spoke with our administrator about the whole thing and she didn't have much to say. Does anybody have any words of encouragement, advice, etc on the situation other than don't ever post anything that even might be misinterpreted on fb about work?? I cried all day, all night, and am licking the salt my face this morning :(.

I truly feel your pain but i cannot stress enough how i hear almost all the time to "be careful what you post on the internet" be if FB, Twitter, MySpace, etc. On a popular syndicated radio show there was a report a few months back that several employees ( i forget what state and what company) were fired for posting negative remarks about their job. That alone was more than enough for me to hear for me to decide not to post ANYthing not even positive, regarding my job, (yes i have a FB page and i dont list the comany i work for in the info section of my profile) because, like someone else here said, big brother IS watching. My daughter and i are both in healthcare, she has a FB page too and a short while back she put something a little negative about her job on her FB wall (it wasn't pointed directly about the job but about her feelings at work, i don't know if she ever got in trouble for it, she never said) , i warned her about it and told her what i heard and since then she has cooled it.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through, really, and my best advice for you from this point would be to just not mention ANYthing regarding your job,( even in a positive manner if at all possible) on FB, and especially at work, nowadays you really just don't know who is watching you, sad but true.

With that said hold your head up and move on.;)

Good luck to you.

Specializes in MICU, ER, Tele Step-down..

I agree she violated HIPAA laws in this case and it needed to be handled as such. Really should never vent about work, patients, bosses, MGMT on facebook, but venting altogether should not be disallowed, free speech laws do protect some of our speech (just not as much as people think)

What about a case where a facebook user from a hospital is facing disciplinary action for personal opinions online posted on facebook regarding an article the RN read outside of the hospital on his/he own time, got on facebook, vented about it (the articles topic) and used strong opinions against the subject matter, including vulgarity and what could be perceived as offensive and rude language against the subject matter. One of the RN's co-workers saw the post and reported it to management who forwarded it to HR and the employee has been placed off work while they investigate. I must note the subject matter was about a diagnosis of a pain disease which I know is a very hot topic pro and con, and the RN's post was very strongly against it ending it with "I believe it is a waste of my @$%@ time and effort." With an F- word thrown in I believe. I also must state:

1) it in now way was related to the hospital, an employee, a patient, MGMT, HR or any hospital related happenings

2) it strictly was in response to an article the RN read in a medical journal. (apparently the RN posts replies on facebook to family and friend from far out of town who are also medical professionals as a way of banter, and friendly arguments between them)

3) The RN did have place of employment listed as the Hospital in the Info section

4) The site at the time of the post was only viewable to friends (th highest setting of privacy I believe)

5) The hospital has no social media guidelines in place at this time, but of course as any employer has policies about representing the hospitals name at all times.

My questions, can they truly discipline a person based on personal posts that in no way touch on patient information, attacks on coworkers, MGMT, or the hospital name itself. Can you simply discipline an employee for using dirty words and acting unprofessionally on their own time, away from the hospital. To me I would see a lawsuit stemming from this faster than a bolt of lightning and the hospital being in big trouble, but I could be wrong. This RN simply went home on their own time read an article formed an opinion and voiced it on facebook (which I agree there are better places) using terminology that someone deemed offensive, and now faces the loss of a job and career over someone else's strong opinion against his strong opinion. If I were a lawyer I would be drooling over this.

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I would have fired her too. We have to drop out convictions as nurses and do our duty to help heal, not judge. Sometimes, as was probably the case this time, thats not easy. But its not our place to throw things out there like "I hope he rots in hell".

My problem is, someone who acts like this is only a couple steps away from "This pt. really isn't in pain, they don't need anything" or "That pt. is just lazy and likes being waited on, they don't need to be here". Then you have care being withheld and all sorts of things.

I wonder how this woman would feel if she found out the whole incident between the cop and the other pt. was more than meats the eye? Not saying I think thats the case or anything but..............stranger things have happened. Hence, we don't judge.

Specializes in Health Information Management.
I agree she violated HIPAA laws in this case and it needed to be handled as such. Really should never vent about work, patients, bosses, MGMT on facebook, but venting altogether should not be disallowed, free speech laws do protect some of our speech (just not as much as people think)

What about a case where a facebook user from a hospital is facing disciplinary action for personal opinions online posted on facebook regarding an article the RN read outside of the hospital on his/he own time, got on facebook, vented about it (the articles topic) and used strong opinions against the subject matter, including vulgarity and what could be perceived as offensive and rude language against the subject matter. One of the RN's co-workers saw the post and reported it to management who forwarded it to HR and the employee has been placed off work while they investigate. I must note the subject matter was about a diagnosis of a pain disease which I know is a very hot topic pro and con, and the RN's post was very strongly against it ending it with "I believe it is a waste of my @$%@ time and effort." With an F- word thrown in I believe. I also must state:

1) it in now way was related to the hospital, an employee, a patient, MGMT, HR or any hospital related happenings

2) it strictly was in response to an article the RN read in a medical journal. (apparently the RN posts replies on facebook to family and friend from far out of town who are also medical professionals as a way of banter, and friendly arguments between them)

3) The RN did have place of employment listed as the Hospital in the Info section

4) The site at the time of the post was only viewable to friends (th highest setting of privacy I believe)

5) The hospital has no social media guidelines in place at this time, but of course as any employer has policies about representing the hospitals name at all times.

My questions, can they truly discipline a person based on personal posts that in no way touch on patient information, attacks on coworkers, MGMT, or the hospital name itself. Can you simply discipline an employee for using dirty words and acting unprofessionally on their own time, away from the hospital. To me I would see a lawsuit stemming from this faster than a bolt of lightning and the hospital being in big trouble, but I could be wrong. This RN simply went home on their own time read an article formed an opinion and voiced it on facebook (which I agree there are better places) using terminology that someone deemed offensive, and now faces the loss of a job and career over someone else's strong opinion against his strong opinion. If I were a lawyer I would be drooling over this.

There is a thread on the "Nursing News" section of the site about a very similar incident currently being challenged by the National Labor Relations Board. Here's a link to that discussion: https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/nlrb-challenges-facebook-515943.html

Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
I agree she violated HIPAA laws in this case and it needed to be handled as such. Really should never vent about work, patients, bosses, MGMT on facebook, but venting altogether should not be disallowed, free speech laws do protect some of our speech (just not as much as people think)

What about a case where a facebook user from a hospital is facing disciplinary action for personal opinions online posted on facebook regarding an article the RN read outside of the hospital on his/he own time, got on facebook, vented about it (the articles topic) and used strong opinions against the subject matter, including vulgarity and what could be perceived as offensive and rude language against the subject matter. One of the RN's co-workers saw the post and reported it to management who forwarded it to HR and the employee has been placed off work while they investigate. I must note the subject matter was about a diagnosis of a pain disease which I know is a very hot topic pro and con, and the RN's post was very strongly against it ending it with "I believe it is a waste of my @$%@ time and effort." With an F- word thrown in I believe. I also must state:

1) it in now way was related to the hospital, an employee, a patient, MGMT, HR or any hospital related happenings

2) it strictly was in response to an article the RN read in a medical journal. (apparently the RN posts replies on facebook to family and friend from far out of town who are also medical professionals as a way of banter, and friendly arguments between them)

3) The RN did have place of employment listed as the Hospital in the Info section

4) The site at the time of the post was only viewable to friends (th highest setting of privacy I believe)

5) The hospital has no social media guidelines in place at this time, but of course as any employer has policies about representing the hospitals name at all times.

My questions, can they truly discipline a person based on personal posts that in no way touch on patient information, attacks on coworkers, MGMT, or the hospital name itself. Can you simply discipline an employee for using dirty words and acting unprofessionally on their own time, away from the hospital. To me I would see a lawsuit stemming from this faster than a bolt of lightning and the hospital being in big trouble, but I could be wrong. This RN simply went home on their own time read an article formed an opinion and voiced it on facebook (which I agree there are better places) using terminology that someone deemed offensive, and now faces the loss of a job and career over someone else's strong opinion against his strong opinion. If I were a lawyer I would be drooling over this.

Yes, they can, they have, and they will continue to do so.

IDK where the thread is, but this exact topic is discussed in great detail concerning a married couple (in CA I believe) who were performing online sex for a second job got fired. They fought and to the best of my knowledge (sorry if things changed and I'm not up to date) got no support from the courts.

Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

The title of this thread should be: Another nurse bites the dust due to her own stupidity while using facebook!!!!

Just my oppinion. If you do not use common sence then you deserve what you get!

Happy

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
the title of this thread should be: another nurse bites the dust due to her own stupidity while using facebook!!!!

just my oppinion. if you do not use common sence then you deserve what you get!

happy

i totally agree. i've seen a few people get into trouble with facebook, and every one of them was doing something stupid!

I don't know what this nusre posted, but professionalism has vanished in the work place these days. i am a lpn student excited to jump into the nursing industry!! however, i know that there are going to be a lot of things that work my nerves regarding ''Professionalism," due to the fact that my clinical settings are horrible at professionalism. it's scary!! where have the morals and ethnics gone? tisk tisk, I hope to make my way up to a nurse practioner or RN manager to bring class and eliteness back to the industry!!

Specializes in MS, LTC, Post Op.

I have several ppl from my work on my FB, I NEVER EVER post names or room numbers, most of my posts consist of working with "the best co-workers ever!" or "I truly love my job!"

This is an interesting question to me specifically as a federal employee. I am mandated by our facility guidelines (and I think, law) not to express political viewpoints in the workplace (especially to patients) as it might be construed as the opinion of the federal government as a whole. This comes up regularly around election times especially and we are reminded of these standards via hospital-wide emails, etc. Does that mean that I shouldn't express my political viewpoints on FB, either?

This IS a tough call. Are employers turning into our big brother? Do they have any right to be looking at our social networking pages at all?

You should make a thread asking that question, CNL. I think it would be very interesting to see what everyonw thinks. I have a fb account and I'm friends with several co-workers, but after having read this I will definitely think twice about writing anything about not wanting to go to work, or if I don't like the color of someone's scrub pants, or if I see a spot on the floor. I can just see the newspaper headlines "Hospital employee fired after making disparaging remark about a speck of dirt on floor!" Essh!

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