I've been on allnurses for years now. I have shared many stories in hopes of getting everyone's advice and opinions. HOWEVER, I shared a story a while back, and someone sent me a message asking if I was _______. I assume they read my public activity, and after reading theirs, I realized I knew who they were as well. It was kind of embarrassing, but kind of an eye opener.
I use this site under the condition of reasonable anonymity. I don't know that I would share as many details with the internet if the people reading know who I am.
Am I the only one? Would any of you willingly share your questions and answers with the people who know you?
If someone discovered who I am I would deny it. I feel this is a place where we are allowed to be anonymous and speak our mind. Being able to share and vent helps me cope. Sometimes I would like to share even more details, but stop myself as it might expose me which could bring the wrath of corporate management upon me. O how I wish I could tell all! Maybe when I'm retired and no longer need to work for a living or I win the lottery whichever comes first!
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I'm sure anyone who's worked with me could identify me by my username, work history and the way I say things. I just keep that in mind when I post anything. I have posted things about previous managers; I avoid adjectives and cite specific behaviours. If they see themselves, too bad.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I generally tell only the stories that are decades old -- and I still mix up a few details. Nevertheless, a former colleague recognized me from a story. We're good friends, so that was OK. But it was a reminder that even telling really old stories can get me recognized.
There was an orientee who was having problems with her preceptors -- it seems they "hated her" for "no reason" -- and asked for a new one. She was given a new preceptor and within two weeks was back in the manager's office complaining that this preceptor, too, hated her and was unfair to her. By this time she was near the end of her scheduled orientation and was still lacking in time management, basic assessment skills, critical thinking . . . you name it. Each time someone sat her down to give her negative feedback, it was the same thing. She refused to listen because she knew SHE was right and they were wrong, they were only saying bad things about her because they hated her. For some reason, the manager decided to extend her orientation and give her a new preceptor -- me. I was told about the time management, critical thinking and issues with assessment skills, but I wasn't told about the interpersonal drama. Nevertheless, it very quickly became clear that she wasn't learning because she thought she already knew everything. One night when she was far behind in her work, I evicted her from her chair to answer a call light. She left her AllNurses.com account open on the computer in the middle of a long diatribe against mean, nasty, bullying, unreasonable and irrational preceptors who expected her to clean up poop (she was meant for greater things), answer call lights (the preceptor was just sitting on her butt writing an article for a nursing journal so SHE could answer the call lights) or answer questions about her patient (because the preceptor should already know these things and "if she's just quizzing me, I don't need that stress. I learn best in a positive environment.") The screen name was the same as the screen name of a poster I'd been reading (on my night off) who sounded remarkably like my orientee.
I wasn't the one who printed out one of her rants about her "fat, ugly old bag of a manager" who was "clearly incompetent and never took care of a patient in her life" and gave it to the manager. I swear I never even considered such a thing. But someone did, and the know-it-all orientee from hell was abruptly terminated.
To anyone who uses their own photo as an avatar -- I'm thinking of a particular poster who started a very divisive thread here -- and/or uses their own name as a screen name -- sooner or later one of your less well-considered posts may wind up on your manager's desk. It is better to remain anonymous -- or as anonymous as possible.
I'm only a student right now, and lots of my classmates know my screen name. I started a thread for our class during the application process, and my avatar is my face, so I'm pretty careful to watch what I say. I assume all my teachers and the schools administration can see it all. So as much as I want to whine about someone, I refrain.
Once I become a nurse, I'll probably create a new account, but still watch what I say and assume my co-workers and supervisors can see it all.
I've posted about things that have happened to me or how I have been treated, with the thought in mind about the responsible parties reading the post. I try to keep such posts as vague as possible and few and far between. For the most part, unlike the example Ruby posted about above, our coworkers and supervisors at work know our opinions and views anyway. They don't need to scour this site to find out what we think about anything work-related.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
I work pretty hard to stay anonymous but recognize the likelihood of being recognized is there and thus am cautious about what I post anyway. There is at least one person who knows who I am on here.
Always remember, things put on the Internet are written in ink. In other words, it never really goes away, even if you think it did.
I post as though my organization's management and other employees a. reads here daily, and b. knows who I am. It may not make for a lot of exciting or controversial posts, but it does help protect me and my job.
Actually, anyone I went to school with or in my workplace who wanted to put some time and effort into it could possibly correctly deduce who I am. No one has yet to come up to me and say, "you're Meriwhen, aren't you?" And if they did...well, I don't know if I'd admit to it.
I also won't wear my AllNurses jacket to work. Most anywhere else, I'll wear it. I'm sure my whole little town knows I must belong to this AN website...just not exactly who I am here :)
I've been recognized from this site on multiple occasions. Not unexpectedly since my particular work situation is pretty rare (21 years a travel nurse - not too many of us). (And I don't look anything like Ned)
I just make it a practice never to post anything on here that I wouldn't say sitting in the break room at work, never knowing who's standing outside of the door.
If I post about a situation it's generally one which could have occurred in any of about 15 states over a span of 20 years and I obscure details. I never post about my current work.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
Richard Bach in his classic book Illusions wrote "Live never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published around the world- even what is published is not true".
Now, Mr. Bach's book was published in 1977, over a decade before the world wide web was invented, but I believe his basic concept still holds true.
If we "live (our lives) never to be ashamed", we do nothing to be concerned about if we or our actions are ever scrutinized.
People will always talk and give their perception of us and our actions. If we live our lives in a way in which we are comfortable with who we truly are, others' perception of us becomes less important.
It doesn't matter to me if anybody knows who the real Davey Do is, for I live my life to never be ashamed.
Davey Do
10,666 Posts
You know, Farawyn, you're sort of like the female version of Austin Powers.
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