Yelled at for posting on AN

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi there,

I got called into my nursing instructors office and was admonished for posting online! They looked at my profile info to find out it was me. What do you all think about this? My mistake for posting or invasion of privacy?

Thanks,

Bormio

Specializes in CNA.
I had this happen to me while I was in LPN school.

I paid to have a lawyer call them and remind them that I had posted no information (and I hadn't- another student told them that I was a member on the board here) and that we still had the right to free speech in this country and they backed off.

I believe that schools and employers need to start being a bit more careful- more so than we should. A lawsuit against a first amendment violation could cause them a heck of a headache, poor publicity and millions of dollars that they could easily lose.

Just my $0.02.

I think this is extraordinarily bad advice, from an academic standpoint, an employment standpoint, and a legal standpoint. Remember that the first amendment works both ways. People get to tell you their opinions or policy regarding your online activity.

Yes, you can be a pain in the ass to your school or employer, but how do you benefit from that? The vast majority of these types of scenarios work against the student posting recognizeable information. Is the career goal to be a working nurse or is it to be able to shoot your mouth off on a message board?

Think of how the back channel (non-official) communication goes:

"Hey, what do you think of ?

"She got a lawyer to harass us when we warned her about our policy about posting on online forums."

"Ah. Thanks for the headsup."

This just doesn't sound like a win.

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I don't think this can be considered an invasion of privacy if you have a profile that is public. Maybe just be careful in putting specifics in the post.

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I think this is extraordinarily bad advice, from an academic standpoint, an employment standpoint, and a legal standpoint. Remember that the first amendment works both ways.

Agreed. The OP could potentially be accused of defamation. The school has an interest in protecting itself against unsubstantiated rumors. I don't even know what he (?) originally posted but I can imagine some schools becoming concerned if there was a lot of mudslinging happening in prominent internet forums.

OP - this is a lesson learned. Yes you have a right to post on AN but it is in your own best interest to exclude any identifiable information. Better luck next time.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Agreed. The OP could potentially be accused of defamation. The school has an interest in protecting itself against unsubstantiated rumors. I don't even know what he (?) originally posted but I can imagine some schools becoming concerned if there was a lot of mudslinging happening in prominent internet forums.

This wouldn't be the first time that's happened here...

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I would like to know, "How do you go to nursing school and maintain ANY rights as an individual?" From my personal experience, you must surrender all rights if you entertain the idea of applying for nursing school. Where is the compassion and care for those who may choose a career in a field known for its' compassion and care?

Your rights as an individual end when you are violating privacy, or defaming/slandering someone/something (ie, your school or your employer). This will not end when you graduate and get a job. We are supposed to be professional and caring to someone who is slinging someone through the mud online? It's one thing to vent in a generic way, or to ask for legitimate advice, but a line needs to be drawn.

As an educator, could you imagine if I told a story here about a student, and gave enough information that could potentially identify him/her? If you knew where I worked, and could piece 2 and 2 together? You know my butt would be sued (and called into my boss' office with no leg to stand on). :nono:

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It would depend on what you've been posting :) It's not an invasion of privacy because everything you've posted is on a public forum. People have been fired for FB postings. Be careful what you say online, because anyone can access it.

Our chair person told us as much during orientation - they can and will act if they find out you've been posting inappropriate stuff. However, on that same note, I don't see what business they have calling you out as long as your posts were not offensive or otherwise inappropriate.

In fact, I shared info I found in an AN thread (and told them where the info came from) with my clinical group...they had no problem with it, although our instructor did tell us to use info we find on message forums with some caution since the posters/members come with a full range of experience and the info they relate may reflect that

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

I hope you are posting under a new profile, as they are most certainly keeping an eye on it. wonder if anyone that knows me has been able to identify me on AN. I have unwisely disclosed certain things such as the name of my school in some posts, hopefully this is a lesson to all of us to be vague.

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Specializes in Infusion.

When you tell everyone what school you are attending and what group you are in and then say that the program kinda stinks, it makes the school kinda wonder why you are there. Venting is fine but you really need to keep specifics out.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

I'm wondering what you posted that made them mad.

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I posted on a thread about salaries and a fellow employee sent a link to the thread to me and my supervisor. It had only my first name and last initital. That was so messed up. I have since then tried to be more careful of what I post. Some people can't wait to run to management or teachers about others.

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Yes, as some have already noted, internet and privacy do not belong in the same sentence. Many hospitals and possibly some schools have developed social media policies. Typically they involve employee conduct (ie no FB during work time, etc) as well as some type of statement that postings that identify other employees, patients, or display the institution in a negative manner are forbidden. Nurses are terminated for HIPAA violations . . . that is a fact.

As you pointed out, it was a fellow student who reported your post. In every situation I have been involved with, it has been a fellow employee who was upset about negative posts on FB or similar. In some instances the employee reported had bragged about what was posted. Managers, supervisors, instructors, and hospital privacy officers do not spend their days online trying to identify posts about their businesses. It is usually peers who bring a concern forward. Your friends on FB or even in public forums can be your worst enemy. However, search engines in Google or even here bring up a wealth of postings when names (schools, hospitals, etc) are typed in and posts can be seen from those areas as well if someone really wanted to do it. Even Googling your own name (or putting a Google alert on your name) can be an eye opener.

Hospitals and schools are businesses. If the public perceives a business in a negative manner because of FB postings it hurts the business line (whether it be going to hospital B for surgery instead of hospital A or choosing a different school).

Discretion and caution go hand in hand in any public forum.

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You're lucky! I know someone who posted stuff about their clinical site and they are out of the program now. That person was a straight A student.

Remember, HIPAA applies to electronic communication too, and they have tightened the laws.

If you don't want your instructors in your profile, make it private.

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