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.
I don't know what the standards are in the state/province you live, but with mine, before you "report" somebody to management b/c of an issue you see or have with them, you are supposed to attempt to resolve the conflict yourself with that person directly.
So unless you feel you have enough to go forward to this person with, it might be a case of "he/she's a dick", and just unfriend or delete them.
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.
Was it a HIPAA violation? Was she harassing a patient or another coworker? If none of the above applied then mind your own business. There’s a lot of ignorant nasty people that I don’t like but unless they directly effect me or my job I don’t care. They are entitled to think and say what they want.
gonzo1, ASN, RN
1,739 Posts
I'm a big believer in Karma. I would unfriend the person and forget about it.