"Professional" Social Media

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We all know plenty of reasons to avoid revealing our identity on forums such as this one. We also know the potential pitfalls of "social media" as it relates to our work, especially for those who prefer to be less than easily discoverable by patients/families, etc.

Well... what about "professional" social media, e.g., LinkedIn, nursing association message boards, etc.? I am eager to expand my network and engage with others in my profession/specialty, yet I hesitate to make myself "searchable" by name or workplace. Of course this is antithetical to the entire concept of networking - but we simply cannot choose WHO will find us once we're out there.

What are your thoughts/experiences with this?

P.S. I realize this issue isn't limited to the realm of psych nursing, but that's the angle I'm coming from.

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

My true identity is out there on LinkedIn & APNA.org

The interactions are completely different there compared to here, always completely professional.

MrChicagoRN is also out there on twitter, and I may tweet about health, politics, anything.

There is very little to link my true identity to my alter ego, except that one wears glasses and the other doesn't...and it seems no one ever sees the two of us at the same time.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

I use LinkedIn and am comfortable with it.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I also use LinkedIn & am comfortable with it, whereas I don't use any other social media platform.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

You can also consider in person professional meetings, such as APNA local events.

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