More Examples of posting on Facebook and getting fired

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Aug 23, 2014

Mowing down and shooting people speaks to a deeply disturbed person.

One can be as ignorant, bigoted, racist as they would like to be, post outrageous and disgusting stuff on social media, but you start encouraging gun violence and purging, and yes, chances are you will be fired.

Especially if you have your place of employment on social media....

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2014

Where did anyone take away her right to say what she wants? Are you taking away the right of a private hospital to fire anyone they want? You do understand the difference correct? You can say WHATEVER you want. However the hospital can fire anyone it wants as well. No one said she did not have the right to say it. Are you saying the hospital should be forced to employ people?

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2014

That makes absolutely no sense. OFCOURSE there can be consequences to what a person says. It happens every single day. You say something mean to your spouse their can be consequences. She may divorce you. Are you saying you can say whatever you want and people just have to listen to it? The post makes no sense. There are consequences to things..and the more professional position the more likely for consequences.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Aug 23, 2014

A quote from the article:

"Even freedom of speech has its consequences," said the man.

As well as responsibilities....even in the workplace.

In order for ALL to be able to engage "in the pursuit of happiness" that has been placed in our wonderful constitution, it's time that it means checking our own fears and preconceived notions of others, as well as our own actions towards others; and taking responsibility of what we say, and the potential consequences when it's pertaining to a preconceived notion.

To add: a workplace has an image to uphold; shouldn't we have enough inkling to know that? The individual certainly knows that now.... :blink:

mvm2 · Aug 23, 2014

Just another reason why I am very at peace with not having a facebook account and my life is great without it.

I think that the hospital had all the right in the world to fire a person like that. I sure would not like her to be my nurse knowing she would feel that way about ANY person. Any doctor or nurse thinking ANYONE should have that kind of things done to them have emotional problems and should not be in the line of work that needs to have compassion on ALL people. What would happen if her feelings and judgements of people would effect her quality of care she would give someone.

People need to start to think before they word vomit everything that goes threw their heads and type it in black and white for the whole world to see. Even when you think you typed something that you think is safe because it is in your personal facebook. I think some people are under the belief that facebook is like a personal diary that only their eyes and the eyes of their circle friends will see it. Sorry to break the news but Things get leaked out from the wild world that is the internet and facebook all the time.

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 23, 2014

I'm sure each person who says she should have been fired has said something stupid before as well. People are entitled to their opinions no matter how wrong or ignorant. Now if they cause harm to others, that's a different story. Not everyone is going to have beliefs that line up with their employers beliefs. We are hired to do a job, not to believe a certain way. Firing that person was to set an example and create fear.

There is a difference between saying something stupid in private and posting something on the internet for all the world to see.

klone, MSN, RN · Aug 23, 2014

I have very mixed feelings about this. I can't really articulate it any better than others have already. But I'm once again just really glad that I no longer do Facebook.

wooh, BSN, RN · Aug 23, 2014

Mixed feelings. The post was disgusting. I fully believe the hospital had the right to fire the employee. When an employee posts something about work, it's not troubling to me if they get fired for it.

But in a case like this? I see it as a slippery slope. If I post "Give peas a chance! Eat vegetarian!" and I live in an area full of ranchers, is that worthy of being fired?

We have to walk a tightrope the entire time we're at work, making sure never to offend anyone. Should we have to do the same off the clock? Yes, this particular instance was highly offensive. But where is the line drawn when it has nothing to do with work?

AWanderingMinstral · Aug 23, 2014

It is important to use common sense when posting on social networking sites. I do not use my real name or a picture of my face. In addition, I work at "A Hospital in SWFL." Finally, do not friend your coworkers...they'll get over it.

Caffeine_IV · Aug 23, 2014

They can fire you for various reasons so I'm not shocked about that.

I agree people say mean, stupid, negative things all the time and if you want to maintain employment I recommend that you keep your comments to the privacy of your home, circle of friends or post anonymously among like minded people.

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 23, 2014

Mixed feelings. The post was disgusting. I fully believe the hospital had the right to fire the employee. When an employee posts something about work, it's not troubling to me if they get fired for it.
But in a case like this? I see it as a slippery slope. If I post "Give peas a chance! Eat vegetarian!" and I live in an area full of ranchers, is that worthy of being fired?
We have to walk a tightrope the entire time we're at work, making sure never to offend anyone. Should we have to do the same off the clock? Yes, this particular instance was highly offensive. But where is the line drawn when it has nothing to do with work?

But your peas example doesn't make any kind of comparison to the post in the article. Yours is a statement of opinion without any mention of violence. The post from the article depicts someone who advocates violence against a large group of people. That is what is so offensive about it- it's not someone seeking to debate the value of a type of food; it's someone displaying some questionable thought processes. Freedom of speech does not guarantee freedom of consequences. The hospital obviously wishes not to be affiliated with someone who espouses violence, and that is their perfectly legal prerogative.

mvm2 · Aug 23, 2014

Mixed feelings. The post was disgusting. I fully believe the hospital had the right to fire the employee. When an employee posts something about work, it's not troubling to me if they get fired for it.
But in a case like this? I see it as a slippery slope. If I post "Give peas a chance! Eat vegetarian!" and I live in an area full of ranchers, is that worthy of being fired?
We have to walk a tightrope the entire time we're at work, making sure never to offend anyone. Should we have to do the same off the clock? Yes, this particular instance was highly offensive. But where is the line drawn when it has nothing to do with work?

I think there is a big differance in this case, and this was not simply an opinion statement that she made like we should eat peas. Her comment was threatening peoples lives. Completely differant.

If there was a vet tech for instance that wrote on facebook that their neighbors dog kept barking all night and I wanted to go over there and tare his vocal chords out. If you find this out would you feel comfortable taking FEE FEE to see that Vet office with her as their tech? Probably not. So the hospital might feel this women has made threatening comments on peoples lives and we don't want her here.

After all we know when we are looking for a job and we are interviewed that we are judged and denied the job on a lot less then publically giving threats to peoples lives. Can her and there are 500 nurses that will be a much better person to take care of the people with love and compassion that they deserve then this one nurse or maybe we should say former nurse because I don't know who will hire her after this