Social media has evolved over the past decade and now plays an active role in daily life. This phenomenon has changed the way we engage and interact with each other; it has changed how we both share and receive news. With constant posting across different social media channels--Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, LinkedIn--this behavior has truly become a part of us, and something that the majority of the time we don’t think twice about.

However, in the nursing industry, posting profession-related material could have serious repercussions. Something that might seem insignificant to you may be violating multiple laws and privacy ethics.  It’s essential to understand social media ethics in nursing.  A simple post to Facebook congratulating patient John Doe that you’ve been working with for months on his recent progress? Big no-no.

Here are a few things to avoid:

Do not discuss or refer to patients in any way.

We’re not just talking about revealing their name. Anything from information about their diagnosis, condition, room number or, believe it or not, a NICKNAME, technically breaches confidentiality. Not only do these things violate patient privacy, but they are also likely violating facility standards.

Don’t post pictures of your patients on social media. 

Be wary of taking photos of patients altogether. Unless a patient is explicitly requesting it, it’s best to avoid the situation entirely.

Sometimes you have a bad day. 

Sometimes your co-workers annoy you.  It’s a natural reaction to vent about this, but keep it off social media. Your comments can and likely WILL be seen by someone who knows someone, who knows another someone, who passes something on to that wrong someone else.

Be careful about posting pictures of YOURSELF in the workplace. 

A simple image of you in your scrubs with a big smile, and a room number somewhere in the background, technically reveal patient information, and is a privacy violation.

Keep in mind that what you’re posting affects several parties, including the patients, the facility, coworkers, as well as you and your career. Certainly, by this point, most of you have at least heard of Katie Duke, if not seen her on ABC’s documentary show NY Med. Duke was fired from the hospital that she worked at during one of the episodes. Over what? An Instagram post. The New York City ER nurse posted a photo of an empty trauma room, littered with used medical supplies, in the aftermath of treating a patient who had been hit by a subway. Her caption read: “Man Vs. 6 Train…The After. #lifesaving #EMS #NYC #ER #nurses #Doctors #nymed #trauma #realLife.” While this post did not violate either HIPAA or the hospital’s social media policy, her superiors nonetheless deemed this inappropriate and insensitive, and sufficient ground for firing.

The point is, in an industry overflowing with private information and personal records, we have to be extra careful about what we’re posting. Violating privacy laws and/or facility standards can bring serious consequences.  Make sure you know your facility’s policies, are aware of HIPAA regulations, and think carefully about what you’re posting before you do so!