Will you add your patient in facebook?

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If a patient/former patient of yours (I’m not talking about a patient who happens to also be your friend from way way back or someone who is a family friend-----I’m talking about a patient you met initially on your floor as a nurse) add you in his/her facebook account, would you accept it? Why or why not? Just curious..........

don't use facebook, myspace, etc.

but i have exchanged video game gamertags with patients, so we can blast some fools online.

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Not just 'no'....He** no!

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Specializes in OB, Med-Surg.

no way! What about HIPPA?

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Specializes in ..

Stay off of facebook altogether. If you do use it,,,use a nickname, never your real name.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

I have recieved several facebook friend requests from patients. I have never accepted them. However, I did take care of a teenager girl last year that ended up passing away. Her mother sent me a friend request and I accepted. I still keep in touch with her mother. :redpinkhe

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

N to the O.

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Seems like the NO is winning. I won't too. I work in Psych and I want to keep things professional and not cross the line. Also, I don't want to risk it and be stalked possibly.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

oh, heavens no. Not in psych, especially. You nailed it - stalking, risks, and access to personal information. Nope - keep your distance.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

I get friend requests from former coworkers in my previous life. For a lot of them my attitude is "I didn't like you when we worked together, what makes you think I want to be your friend now?"

So do I want to cross the line from a professional relationship that lasted for a couple of night shifts where the patient was awake and alert for a grand total of maybe 6 or 8 hours and be their "friend?" Maybe risk all the problems that go with crossing that line? No way, no how, not ever.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

NO WAY. I have coworkers on there and some management, but I don't post anything that would get me in trouble anyway.

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I am currently only a patient. I am off to nursing school in September. On facebook I am friends with

1 old doctor of mine

2 old nurses (1 or nurse, 1 doc's office nurse)

1 old docs office scheduler who is now in nursing school

and my current school nurse

I have multiple cronic conditions ranging from neurofibromatosis to acid reflux to nodules on my thyroid and I see 11 different doctors on a regular basis.

I had this one amazing or nurse who i sent a thank you letter to, we started exchanging christmas cards and then we became facebook friends.

i had an office nurse who was amazing but left the docs office, she had a little son and I wanted to know how he was doing and so friend requested her

the old doc was my doc for my neurofibromatosis, he likes to see how his old patients are doing.

and i am becoming friends with the school nurse because I go to a tiny college and have many issues, main one she deals with is my rescently (little over a year) diagnosed asthma

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Not now. Not ever. It is as simple as that.

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