SOCIAL MEDIA: #Boundaries: When patients become friends

Vanessa Slobogian, Jennifer Giles, Tiffany Rent

Abstract


The personal use of social media by healthcare professionals is a hot topic within oncology practice settings. The widespread availability of both patient and provider personal information online threatens professional boundaries. This commentary article will provide an overview of the oncology nurses’ responsibility to maintain boundaries and the potential risk to professional image if clients and families are able to access providers’ personal information online. Work undertaken by the Advanced Practice Nursing Social Media Taskforce in the Hematology Oncology Transplant Program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital will be presented including a literature review and development of a staff survey to explore perceptions and practices related to personal social media use by health professionals. Case scenarios of common social media challenges are explored and knowledge translation activities presented.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses. (2011). Position paper on social media in the workplace. Retrieved from http://aphon.org/UPLOADS/Education/pp6.pdf

Aylott, M. (2011). Blurring the boundaries: Technology and the nurse-patient relationship. British Journal of Nursing, 20(13), 810–812, 814–816. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2011.20.13.810

Baker, J. (2013) Social networking and professional boundaries. Association of PeriOperative Nurses Journal, 97(5), 501–506. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aorn.2013.03.001

Boyce, T., Davis, M., Gerdy, C. & Pool, A. (2011). APHON position paper on social media in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.aphon.org/files/public/socialmediapaper11.pdf

Foster, S. (2016). Airing your opinions. British Journal of Nursing, 25(9), 527.

Ginory, A., Sebatier, L.M., & Eth, S. (2012). Addressing therapeutic boundaries in social networking. Psychiatry, 17(1), 40–48.

Johnstone, M. (2016). Privacy, professionalism and social media. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Journal, 23(7), 23.

Kimball E., & Kim J. (2013). Virtual boundaries: Ethical considerations for social media in social work. Social Work, 58(2), 185–188.

Koh, S., Cattell, G.M., Cochran, D.M., Krasner, A., Langheim, F.J., & Sasso, D.A. (2013). Psychiatrists’ use of electronic communication and social media and a proposed framework for future guidelines. Journal of Pyschiatric Practice, 19(3), 254–263.

Peluchette, J., Karl, K., Coustasse, A., Rutsohn, P. & Emmett, D. (2012). Professionalism and social networking: can patients, physicians, nurses, and supervisors all be ‘friends’?. 25th Annual Australia New Zealand Academy of Management Conference (ANZAM 2011) (pp. 1–20). Wellington, New Zealand: ANZAM.

Smart, J. (2015). Policy power: Taking a strong line on misuse of social media. Nursing and Residential Care, 17(7), 411–412.

Stott, I. (2015). Social media in the workplace: Approach with caution. Nursing and Residential Care, 17(9), 519–521.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share