Unprofessional Conduct Online

[Anon4thispost]

I am unsure how to handle something I came across on social media and I'm hoping that someone with more wisdom and experience can help guide me.

Today I saw a post on social media where a fellow nurse posted something cruel, racist and embarrassing to make a point of humiliating someone with an opposing political belief to their own. I know this nurse personally though we work at different facilities and are not on friendly enough terms for me to reach out and express my shock at their conduct.

Part of me feels like I should mind my own business and not interfere with someone else's livelihood. Another part of me feels like in this day and age we cannot pretend to not understand the consequences of making remarks on the internet that alienate, marginalize and harm others. FWIW, this nurse shares their job title, facility and nursing related posts on their social media account, so any passerby who saw the remarks would know who made them. I know COVID and quarantine orders have us all on edge so I am trying to not let my anger overcome my good sense. After seeing the posts, I know that I would never feel comfortable receiving care at this facility at the hands of this nurse, and I am sure I'm not the only one.

What would you do?

[brownbook]

I would unfriend them.

I know nice, harmless, reasonably intelligent people, who have diametrically opposite views from me. Yet we can be, are, civil towards each other when in each others company.

I wouldn't hesitate to recieve care from them.

[schroeders_piano, RN]

The part of you that feels like you should mind your own business is the part you need to listen too. Why would you want to jeopardize someone’s job?

[Sour Lemon]

28 minutes ago, Anon4thispost said:

I am unsure how to handle something I came across on social media and I'm hoping that someone with more wisdom and experience can help guide me.

Today I saw a post on social media where a fellow nurse posted something cruel, racist and embarrassing to make a point of humiliating someone with an opposing political belief to their own. I know this nurse personally though we work at different facilities and are not on friendly enough terms for me to reach out and express my shock at their conduct.

Part of me feels like I should mind my own business and not interfere with someone else's livelihood. Another part of me feels like in this day and age we cannot pretend to not understand the consequences of making remarks on the internet that alienate, marginalize and harm others. FWIW, this nurse shares their job title, facility and nursing related posts on their social media account, so any passerby who saw the remarks would know who made them. I know COVID and quarantine orders have us all on edge so I am trying to not let my anger overcome my good sense. After seeing the posts, I know that I would never feel comfortable receiving care at this facility at the hands of this nurse, and I am sure I'm not the only one.

What would you do?

I've seen similar things at least three times by three different people. Two times, I sent them private messages, assuring them that I understood how wonderful they were, but that other people might not. I might have thrown in a brief cautionary tale of something I heard about in the news. The third time, I spoke to the individual in person.

I'm old enough and wise enough (supposedly) to understand that "friends" on social media are not necessarily friends. Some people haven't figured that out yet.

If this person is offensive to you, and you don't feel like you can approach them in a supportive manner, I think you should delete them and forget about it. Imagine all the thoughts you have in your own head. No doubt, there's something in there that would be offensive to someone. I think that's true for the most saintly among us.

[Anon4thispost]

3 minutes ago, schroeders_piano said:

The part of you that feels like you should mind your own business is the part you need to listen too. Why would you want to jeopardize someone’s job?

I definitely do not "want" to jeopardize anyone's job. I do feel like if you openly display hatred to people of a certain nationality then you probably should not put yourself in a position where they will be vulnerable to your bias if they end up in your care.

[schroeders_piano, RN]

1 minute ago, Anon4thispost said:

I definitely do not "want" to jeopardize anyone's job. I do feel like if you openly display hatred to people of a certain nationality then you probably should not put yourself in a position where they will be vulnerable to your bias if they end up in your care.

Not your circus. Not your monkeys.

You know nothing about the care this person provides nor the mindset or situation that led her to post what she posted. As others have suggested, delete her and move on. You are not the social media police for her hospital.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

It certainly seems (from many posts on AN and various news headlines through the years) that a person's inappropriate online activity will come back to bite them on the bee-hind.

Without your help.

Let it be.

[caliotter3]

I am surprised the person has not already lost their job over this. How foolish.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

9 hours ago, Anon4thispost said:

fellow nurse posted something cruel, racist and embarrassing to make a point of humiliating someone with an opposing political belief to their own.

Are the posts truly cruel and racist or is it the fact that these comments are from a supporter of the president and all supporters of the president are automatically racists?

[Anon4thispost]

2 minutes ago, NICU Guy said:

Are the posts truly cruel and racist or is it the fact that these comments are from a supporter of the president and all supporters of the president are automatically racists?

These posts specifically say "f-word" Iranians and goes on to say other terrible, cruel things to the person they were attacking online. Never mentions Trump nor is he relevant to my post. The only person responsible for those words is the person who posted them. I don't excuse or condemn anyone based on political beliefs alone. Everyone is responsible for their own conduct.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

8 hours ago, Anon4thispost said:

I definitely do not "want" to jeopardize anyone's job. I do feel like if you openly display hatred to people of a certain nationality then you probably should not put yourself in a position where they will be vulnerable to your bias if they end up in your care.

Chances are the facility will find that post. Many employ staff whose sole role is social media, including finding posts of people who work for them. Listen to the part that says to let it go- let the natural process happen.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Unfriend.You do not need that kind of attitude in your social media. Anyone who gets too political, goes off on rants, overposts, shares provocative data to stir up drama gets blocked.

This person isn't even a close friend, more of an acquaintance who won't even notice your absence.