Will you delete your Facebook account of you get into nursing school?

RscodADN10 · Jan 9, 2011

Excuse me: it's WHEN I get accepted to nursing school, not if ... ... now that we clarified that ...
As far as deleting my Facebook account, absolutely NOT. Facebook has become a lifeline in my daily living. It's the major artery to my friends and family across the miles about what is happening in my life and what I am reading and discussing online (supplemented of course with phone calls and Skype). It has also reconnected me with friends and family from the past that I had once believed were lost forever. Taking that away from me would be quite devastating. That's basically what I use Facebook for, and not for time-consuming nonsense such as Farmville. As others have said, a common sense approach to what one posts on Facebook together with diligent monitoring of one's privacy settings and what certain friends can and cannot see is all that is required to stay out of trouble.
That girl who posted the placenta picture online was a fool. She should have known better. At least I am sure she does now!
EDIT: Came back to add one thing to say that one has to be careful as well what friends to have on your friends list. I don't accept just anyone. And I do have everyone on lists so not everyone on my list can see everything I post.

I should have put when. I am also waiting to know when I will start!

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2011

No, not planning on deleting my account. I work hard not to say anything that someone would find unsavory. I like to keep up with all sorts of people including those in my clinical group. The only reason I would delete my account is if it started sucking up too much of my time.

oklahomagal · Jan 9, 2011

Well unlike you all I have probably said a few things that were't the best to say on facebook. IMO none of it was really bad... and it was a long time ago. I wonder how far back I should go to delete those things. I really dont think I want to delete it completly though. I have found many friends from my past that I do not want to lose. Facebook also keeps me updated on my friends lives when I dont have the time to call them all the time because I am so busy doing my homework and studying. It is set to private but I know that does not really have any bearing on whether or not people see it.

escapebigd · Jan 9, 2011

After reading this I went through my facebook page and looked at what might be used against me, such as pictures of me hunting, shooting guns, no religious affiliation, pictures of me with various broken bones (arm, ankle) all in recent years, pictures riding motorcycles and posing my boys on them. It's made me think that yeah people could definitely judge me based on their views of hunting, guns, motorcycles, or my ability to do certain things with all the body parts i've managed to damage. I think I'll be updating my privacy settings, but I won't be deleting the account it's the only way my father in law will talk to me :)

oklahomagal · Jan 9, 2011

After reading this I went through my facebook page and looked at what might be used against me, such as pictures of me hunting, shooting guns, no religious affiliation, pictures of me with various broken bones (arm, ankle) all in recent years, pictures riding motorcycles and posing my boys on them. It's made me think that yeah people could definitely judge me based on their views of hunting, guns, motorcycles, or my ability to do certain things with all the body parts i've managed to damage. I think I'll be updating my privacy settings, but I won't be deleting the account it's the only way my father in law will talk to me :)

Hmmm sounds like we have very simular pictures on facebook!! :lol2:

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2011

... I decided that I don't even want my name searchable on Facebook when I start to apply for jobs. You never know who can hack into a private page and what they may not like that seems very tame to you, or what you may have omitted that could make someone toss your resume (ie. not saying you're Christian or something like that)

So what's wrong with using a different name on Facebook? That way if you're searched your profile won't be immediately found.

anon695 · Jan 9, 2011

So what's wrong with using a different name on Facebook? That way if you're searched your profile won't be immediately found.

I considered this but it would still maybe be attached to my nursing school class and year, have a picture of me on it, and would therefore raise a red flag to employers anyway (that I'm using a fake name on Facebook to potentially hide something)

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2011

I considered this but it would still maybe be attached to my nursing school class and year, have a picture of me on it, and would therefore raise a red flag to employers anyway (that I'm using a fake name on Facebook to potentially hide something)

Still does not make sense. I don't see how employers would think of finding you on Facebook if your name is Mary Smith and you list your name as Jane Morgan. You don't have to use your real picture as your profile picture. And there is no rule that says you have to list both your school name and class year. How different is that from them not finding your allnurses.com profile?

anon695 · Jan 9, 2011

Still does not make sense. I don't see how employers would think of finding you on Facebook if your name is Mary Smith and you list your name as Jane Morgan. You don't have to use your real picture as your profile picture. And there is no rule that says you have to list both your school name and class year. How different is that from them not finding your allnurses.com profile?

Won't they see that my friends are linked to the school and class year (everybody does that, I had done it too until I deleted the account last week) and figure out it may be me in disguise? Even if the profile is "friends only" I just feel like I still don't trust it... what if a friend of mine uses foul language and I get turned down for a job not because of what I posted, but because of what a friend posted?

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2011

Won't they see that my friends are linked to the school and class year (everybody does that, I had done it too until I deleted the account last week) and figure out it may be me in disguise? Even if the profile is "friends only" I just feel like I still don't trust it... what if a friend of mine uses foul language and I get turned down for a job not because of what I posted, but because of what a friend posted?

You must have not had the tightest privacy settings in place for your profile. My profile is like the Pentagon, lol. To someone who is not my friend, all they can see is my profile picture, my name, and the buttons to add a friend and send a message. No one can see my friends list except anyone who is my friend. Additionally, there is something in Facebook that allows you to be hidden from searches. So it makes it harder for people to find you.

I am not trying to sell you back on Facebook, just letting you know that there are things you could do to make yourself less of an open book out there.

RscodADN10 · Jan 9, 2011

Why so much hiding? Just have one and be smart or just don't have one.

anon695 · Jan 9, 2011

I am not trying to sell you back on Facebook, just letting you know that there are things you could do to make yourself less of an open book out there.

Thank you, if I ever open a new account it will have a fake name and I'll figure out how to make it iron-clad like you suggest. I guess I am just paranoid, a while back an estranged relative found me (even after I'd changed my name, new name was on the FB account) and I thought if that person could find me even with what I assumed were high privacy settings, so could employers! And again you never know what someone won't like... not Christian, wearing a bikini in a swimming pool, who knows.