Nursing and being a youtuber

[xlightx]

Asking a question for my friend. My friend is a Youtube prankster (primarily makes non harmful pranks in the public) sometimes pranks where there are harsh reactions but nothing too crazy. He’s also just becoming a nurse. My question is: if the hospital was to find out about his prank channel, can they fire him for it? I’ve always been curious about this question myself because I would assume they can’t just fire you over something you do OUTSIDE of work that does not affect your actual job at all? Can someone give me quality information about the answer to this question? Thank you

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

It's not really social media that's the problem.  Nurses can use social media to their advantage and have been doing so for a while now.  There are nurses active on Twitter and Youtube just like there are physicians doing the same.  It's all about content. 

None of us have seen the videos in question and based on what is described, there is a hint of immaturity, toomfoolery, whatever you want to call it which does not equate to professional behavior.  All it takes is one person in the hospital who happens to dislike this "YouTuber" as a co-worker then sees the videos and starts spreading rumors and pretty soon the hospital administrators catch wind of it. 

At that point, administration can make up a number of other reasons imaginable to paint a character flaw in the employee enough to get them fired.

[amoLucia]

16 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:

........  All it takes is one person in the hospital who happens to dislike this "YouTuber" as a co-worker then sees the videos and starts spreading rumors and pretty soon the hospital administrators catch wind of it. 

At that point, administration can make up a number of other reasons imaginable to paint a character flaw in the employee enough to get them fired.

This is what would 'get him'!

[turtlesRcool]

On 10/22/2020 at 1:22 AM, xlightx said:

 (primarily makes non harmful pranks in the public) sometimes pranks where there are harsh reactions but nothing too crazy. 

So, I'm wondering what the "primarily" means.  Does it mean that most of the pranks are "non harmful" but the others could be construed as harmful?  Or does it mean the other videos are of something else completely innocuous like how to crochet teddy bears?  Because my guess is that no employer will object to a genuinely light-hearted prank or a cookie decorating video.  However, there are definitely employers who will object to a nurse making videos in which someone gets hurt or humiliated.  

Also, the mention of "harsh reactions" looks like a red flag to me.  Does that mean the prank's target is upset, and the hurt/humiliation is included in the video?  While your friend might consider that "nothing too crazy," managers might not want a staff member whose hobby is to deceive, hurt, and/or humiliate people for laughs and then post it on the internet for upvotes.  A prank is only "non harmful" if everyone, including the person who was pranked, thinks it is funny.  Do the videos in question meet this criterion?

Obviously I haven't seen these videos, but my gut says the above description is an attempt to downplay videos that a reasonable employer could find objectionable. Could that impact a nurse's career negatively? Yes.

[turtlesRcool]

On 10/22/2020 at 3:35 PM, xlightx said:

That’s how I see it. If my friend is a good nurse and doesn’t do anything bringing work into his prank channel, why would it matter? ya he’s doing for the most part non harmful pranks on his channel but why should that make a difference

He might not bring his work into his prank channel, but what about when he brings his prank channel into work?  I don't mean he'll do pranks at a hospital, but he still brings who he IS to work everyday.

With very few exceptions, the kinds of "pranks" that end up on social media tend to be cheap shots aimed at humiliation for laughs.  Someone whose hobby is thinking up new ways to humiliate strangers in public is someone who is not only okay with doing that, but is proud of it.  I'm not sure that someone who is happy to humiliate someone walking down the street is someone who is going to deliver compassionate care to all patients.  

Nurses deal with people at their worst and their most vulnerable.  People are scared. People are in pain. People do ridiculous, maddening, dangerous things when they're delirious or detoxing or have dementia - and we still have to treat them with respect. We see them naked. We wipe their bottoms. We touch their genitals, sometimes in invasive ways (like inserting urinary catheters). Being a "good nurse" is more than passing meds and doing tasks. Being a good nurse means doing everything in such a way as to maximize each patient's dignity.  It's a mindset that is basically the polar opposite of what it takes to make the videos in question. 

Now, your friend might think he is treating all his patients well. He might think he can separate who he is in his YT channel from who he is as a nurse. But if he still thinks humiliation is funny, that mindset is likely to bleed over into his work. He probably won't even notice, but other people will.  And having a reputation for being a jerk isn't where he wants to be when something goes wrong.

The lens through which others view us can greatly impact how our words and actions are perceived. He sees himself as a funny "prankster," but a manager might see those videos as proof that he's got a mean streak, and be on a sharp lookout for any patient mistreatment. So even if this nurse IS completely professional at work, he's going to be at a disadvantage when a family complains about how he treated grandpa. He might not get fired for making the videos, but he might be fired because his persona in the videos cost him the benefit of the doubt in his manager's mind.  

To answer your question, the type of video makes a difference because perception matters. Reputation matters. Real life isn't as simple as do X, get consequence Y.  It's entirely possible that he doesn't get fired for posting the videos, but still gets fired because he posted the videos.

[Guest856929]

become familiar with terms such as conduct unbecoming that are purposefully ambiguous that HR will use against such an employee. "Conduct on the part of a certified/licensed professional that is contrary to the public interests, or which harms his/her standing of the profession in the eyes of the public."

[amoLucia]

On ‎10‎/‎25‎/‎2020 at 8:20 PM, turtlesRcool said:

.....  And having a reputation for being a jerk isn't where he wants to be when something goes wrong.

The lens through which others view us can greatly impact how our words and actions are perceived. He sees himself as a funny "prankster," but a manager might see those videos as proof that he's got a mean streak, and be on a sharp lookout for any patient mistreatment. So even if this nurse IS completely professional at work, he's going to be at a disadvantage when a family complains about how he treated grandpa. He might not get fired for making the videos, but he might be fired because his persona in the videos cost him the benefit of the doubt in his manager's mind.  

 

turtles - we've all been trying to hit on this same thing but you've prob said it best-est!

Grandpa: 'Nurse Prank was so mean to me this morning. He kept hurrying me up in the bathroom toooo fast and I couldn't finish my poop. Now I don't feel good.'

Grandma: 'Nurse Prank is not nice to me. He got mad when I wanted to wear my thick pink sweater. But he wouldn't look for it in my closet and I was cold all day.'

Hmmmm. Want to guess how nsg admin is going to appease the family/pts? Even though it's 'likely improb that Nurse Prank was so insensitive. But in cases of 'he said, she said', the nurse will likely lose.

[Guest856929]

On 11/24/2020 at 4:55 AM, ricardos said:

I think we all should know more about the difference between privacy and confidentiality.

They are not mutually exclusive. Private information can be confidential and vice versa. 

[Davey Do]

On 10/22/2020 at 12:22 AM, xlightx said:

I would assume they can’t just fire you over something you do OUTSIDE of work that does not affect your actual job at all? 

 

On 10/22/2020 at 12:58 AM, Sour Lemon said:

An employer can fire you for almost any reason at all.

 

On 10/22/2020 at 11:02 AM, xlightx said:

Can you send me an example similar to this situation 

I was making a little animation for a member on another website when I remembered a thread on this site about being a "Youtuber".

To make a really long story short, I was terminated for posting information about patients on allnurses for who which I had provided services. No confidentiality was breached; no identifying information- names or dates of birth given- and I referred to the patient's gender only if the information was necessary to the scenario. All information was as is in a case study.

Governmental and legal entities have ruled in my favor, but it is as SourLemon so aptly stated, xlightx.

I've  chosen to live my life as Richard Bach stated: "...never to be ashamed if anything you do or say is published around the world- even if what is published is not true".

We must each choose our priorities in making our decisions. What's more important? A sideline thing or a profession? 

Anyway, here's the fitting little animation to the music of "I'm a Girl Watcher":