The facility failed to immediately report an incident of possible mistreatment by staff to government inspectors. Emilys school expelled her from the nursing program. Anything that refers to someone in a degrading or demeaning manner is inappropriate. Sure, it doesnt violate a clients privacy so it isnt illegal. Social media risks to patient information. The residents son, in a meeting with inspectors, wiped his eyes with a tissue and paused, saying his mother would not react well if she knew this had happened. Facility:Northern Mahaska Specialty Care, Description:A nurse assistant recorded a video of a resident and shared it on Facebook, tagging the residents family. Inappropriate Use of Social Media in Healthcare - NursingAnswers.net Avoid identifying your employer on your social media profiles. Below the picture was a heart-shaped icon and 20 likes (from the public). Fortunately we have not had an incident since then.. Who would find out? The NCSBN notes that the line between speech protected by labor laws, the First Amendment, and the ability of an employer to impose expectations on employees outside of work is still being determined.. The assistant who recorded the incident acknowledged that the video included footage of the resident raising her gown, which exposed her entire body. A third nursing assistant told inspectors that use of cellphones by employees had been going on in the facility for an extended time. The homes administrator Susan Murty said an investigation started immediately when an employee discovered the posting and the home worked with authorities to determine its scope. As the male resident said the words, a banner appeared across his chest that said, Hahahhahaha omg with three laughing emoticons; as the female repeated the words, a banner across her chest said, Got these hoes trained. The female residents son said his mother would have been embarrassed because she had previously worked as a church secretary for 30 years. In the Nursing Times study, 27 per cent of nurses revealed they use social media to share stories about working life. **Type of facility:** Nursing home and transmitted securely. He claimed that he intended the nude photo as a private joke between him and the former employee. Findings: Another assistant was at home looking at Facebook and saw the video and texted the first one to inform her that she could get in a lot of trouble and needed to remove the video right away. The staffer who took the video said she had the familys permission. The facilitys staff was reeducated on the use of technology. Inappropriate Social Media Posts by Nursing Home Workers, Detailed When Case 3 evaluations of nurses were analysed according to ethics training, statistically significant differences were found. The director of nursing services said it was brought to my attention by (staff) that on (another staffs social media website) posted something that said this is why I love my job and then there were peoples feet but no faces and (Resident #3) was singing. We have such a psychological connection to our phones that we imagine notification vibrations even if they didnt vibrate. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser But its a little different in that these statements dont need to be referring to patients or the workplace. In a statement, the home said, These behaviors by staff are against Valley View Villages privacy and dignity training and direction for its staff from their hire and throughout their employment. This goes along with stories about clients. Don't post negative comments about being a nurse. Epub 2014 Aug 4. A post you see on their page may depict unhealthy behavior or reckless decisions. Technology is a problem for us, for everybody, these days The resident involved was not harmed but certainly it was a serious incident.. The video showed the nursing assistant holding up the residents white hair, asking Is this your hair? The American Journal of Nursing and the American Nurses Association also have Twitter accounts. Among the posts that might be considered inappropriate based on the professional standards of nursing include posts . Other employees knew of the video but did not report it to administration in a timely manner, the inspection report said. In September, one of the assistants pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism. The homes current administrator said the facility changed owners on Sept. 1 and that she could not speak about prior events. **Social media site:** not specified, **Date:** November 2015 Civil lawsuits 2, 8 In 2012, Facebook users exceeded one billion people worldwide, a number that . Expulsion from nursing school While youll want to help as a provider, its best to handle these concerns in the office or with a telehealth platform. Our guidelines clearly state that an infraction may result in discipline up to, and including, termination., Facility: Nazareth Health and Rehab Center, Description: The facility received a phone call from a community member saying that she had received a Snapchat photo of a resident who was naked, lying in bed, and surrounded by feces. They were fired, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of battery and were sentenced to probation and community service. Nursing in the Workforce: The Importance of Nurse Burnout Prevention, The Benefits of a Nurse Mentorship Program for New Nurses. She said she was not aware that a person could not do such a thing without the residents consent. Another study found that 70% of respondents thought access to these channels while at work either currently is or would be a distraction. Facility:Windsor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Duval, How it became public: News report, criminal charges, government inspection report. The video was posted on Snapchat. Don't count on using "I was on a break" as an excuse unless you clock out for breaks. Nurses must uphold strong moral and ethical standardsand that applies to social media. And cant sit still. A second picture showed the same residents face clearly with a laughing emoji with tears across the body. To help gain a better understanding of the difference between acceptable and unacceptable use, some of the ways nurses utilize social media are outlined below. A survey of recruiters found that 55 percent had reconsidered a job candidate based on their social media profiles, and while 61 percent of those reconsiderations were unfavorable, the remaining 39 percent were positive. Your patients arent supposed to become your friends. ANA Social Media Principles When doctors and nurses have distractions, its harder for them to be attentive to their patients. There are many common myths and misunderstandings regarding social media and nursing, many of which may provide a nurse with a false sense of security, belying how dangerous questionable posts may really be to their career. AANA J. Popular platforms for nurses include blogging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and professional forums. Nurse Educator, 43 (1), 28-31. As noted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), breach of trust can irrevocably damage relationships between patients and their caregivers, not to mention negatively impacting the public view of the nursing professions trustworthiness. She was fired and pleaded no contest to a felony charge of using a computer to commit a crime but denied wrongdoing in an interview. Uplift the nursing profession. The homes policy does not allow staff to use personal cellphones with cameras in the facility. The nursing assistant told inspectors that it was a known violation of residents privacy to photograph them and said the picture was accidentally taken and posted. The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals fined the facility \$1,000 for the incident but did not pursue criminal charges because the residents genitals were not exposed. One post included the caption Talk to us at work. Other resident names were mentioned during the videos. For example, negative comments may adversely impact care team cohesion as well as result in punitive action against the nurse, according to the NCSBN. Its just such an appalling act, he told the station. How it became public: Government inspection report. The facility did not return calls for comment. The aide was suspended. Harm may include breaches of confidentiality, defamation of colleagues or employers, violation of practitioner-patient boundaries or an unintended exposure . Additionally, social media is now considered a mainstream part of the process for recruiting and hiring candidates. Created in 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) gave patients greater rights over their health information and . Description: A nursing assistant made a video of an incontinent residents bowel movement on the bathroom floor and shared it on Snapchat with two staff members. This can cause boundary issues when it comes to treating them. Social media use is ubiquitous, but inappropriate posts by nurses have resulted in licensure and legal repercussions. 20.8% said they used it for checking or posting on social networks. Many nurses of all specialties blog as a form of sharing industry insights and daily life as a nurse. The post accompanying the photo used the residents nickname. Jennifer Johnson, the homes regional director of operations, said in a statement: We have strict guidelines in place to govern the use of social media and cellphone communication, as well as a thorough training program that takes place both at the time of hire and on an annual basis. Depending on the social media policy, it might also violate the practices standards and lead to job loss. First Coast News continues to investigate photos and social media posts made by Naval hospital nurses who were taunting newborn babies and making them dance . A nurse's personal social media site should: A common way nurses use Facebook is to connect with local nursing organizations through Facebook groups. Taking a prudent approach to social media can help nurses . She was sitting up in bed with white sheets and a pillow behind her. Description: A nursing assistant posted a video on Facebook of a resident sitting in the shower room, with smiley face emojis obscuring her face. You are are free to republish it so long as you do the following: Copy and paste the following into your page to republish: **Date:** April 2013 Social media use and ethics violations: Nurses' responses to The citizen then posted the images on social media because she didnt feel the facility was taking appropriate action and wanted to share her story of the incident that took place in the facility. The aide was suspended and terminated, and he was charged with misdemeanor injury to the elderly by contact. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate nurses' ability to evaluate ethical violations to hypothetical case studies involving social media use. The Snapchat came from a nursing assistant and allegedly was sent to several people. Nurse Firing Highlights Hazards of Social Media in Hospitals Both were charged with invasion of privacy and conspiracy. Ethics; Nurse-Patient; Nursing; Nursing Care; Nursing Education; Nursing Policy; Policy; Social Media. Similar to sharing information, sharing photographs of patients is also generally not allowed, even if the patient is not named. One said the person who took the picture was a friend. People recognized him from the hospital and could identify the facility where he was receiving treatment. I would take any kind of personnel action and I would report it to all authorities to ensure that they can also look into that, he continued. One picture showed a resident vomiting; another video showed a resident being assisted with an obstructed bowel, according to a criminal complaint. EveryNurse, How Nurses Should Be Using Social Media When Is Posting about Patients on Social Media Unethical "Medutainment Many of the ways social media and nursing dont work well together have to do with breaking confidentiality and patient privacy. Some of these were HIPAA violations from employees posting a patient's protected health information (PHI) the social web. From my perspective, this is criminal elder abuse and we wont put up with it and we didnt put up with it. He said the facility was drafting new policies to deal with the issues. The study determined that education level, ethical training status, the source of ethics training and the duration of their work in the profession were effective regarding the case evaluation of the nurses. That way, helpful information can be shared without the worry of negatively impacting the lives of the patients, coworkers, nurse, or organization. While the focus is on the two doctors in the front, theres still a patient behind them. There are a lot of beneficial information sources and learning opportunities to be had, as long as the comments are kept professional and nonspecific to patient or location. Description: A nursing assistant was accused of taking a photo of a female resident with Alzheimers disease on the toilet with her private parts exposed, drawing on a picture of a penis with the caption limp dick and sharing it on Snapchat. Nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our residents. (2018) advised nurses to ensure that their conduct on social media is characterized by ethical conduct and professionalism. Only those who have familiarity with the facility would have been able to discern that the resident was sitting on a commode in the photo. Use social media to enhance the role of nursing in the community, among friends and the public. Social media is a great outlet for nurses to express their feelings and seek support from friends, family, and colleagues. , Description: Two employees posted at least one inappropriate photo on a social media website. They can vent and receive helpful advice and support from colleagues, friends, and others. S***. The homes lawyer, Frederick Frankel told the TV station that we are trying to take every step possible to protect the privacy of our residents. In April 2017, the assistant agreed to plead guilty and receive 180 days of home detention and one year of probation, according to the Northwest Indiana Times. People will be hesitant to receive healthcare from a facility that criticizes their clients online where anyone can see. Use social media to post positive comments about your workplace and its staff. NGN: An Enhanced Exam for the Real World of Nursing, The Next Generation NCLEX Uses Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT), Making Travel Nursing Easier with a Multistate License, Practice/Academic Partnership During the COVID-19 Crisis, State of the World's Nursing Report: Recommendations & Their Relevance to the COVID-19 Don't post anything online that you wouldn't say in front of your boss or human resources. Gulhane Medical Journal, 52 (2), 76-81. Hold the profession accountable. One photo showed a resident in a nightgown with her torso on the bed and her feet on the floor. Most nurses use social media to follow healthcare issues and topics just not at work, according to a new survey from Lippincott Solutions. Social media use is ubiquitous, but inappropriate posts by nurses have resulted in licensure and legal repercussions. Hardin County Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Brenneman said his office had recommended the nursing home contact state regulators regarding the incident, but did not file criminal charges against the aide. NCSBN has developed guidelines for nurses and nursing students for using social media responsibly. The housekeeper said she was aware that employees were not allowed to access their phones in resident care areas and that photos of residents were not allowed to be taken. These resources are not intended to be full and exhaustive explanations of the law in any area. How many nurses have been terminated for inappropriate social media use Okay, so maybe you already knew how bad it would be to take a photo or video of a patient and post it without proper consent. The employee admitted to posting the photo and said she would take it down. The Danger of Social Media for Healthcare Professionals - Health eCareers National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Inappropriate Use of Social Media in Healthcare Etactics Don't Risk Your Job Over Social Media - General Nursing, Support This sexy selfie, taken at a funeral, is among the most inappropriate pics ever taken Credit: TNI Press. She understood the facilitys response, was remorseful, and mortified that she could ever have been interpreted as having put her grandmothers privacy or dignity in jeopardy. In a letter to Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, the home said, This event was deeply disturbing to us as it is contrary to our values, training, rules and culture at Bristol Court. The home said as soon as it verified the events, it terminated the assistant. They dont even need to mention the persons name for them to violate privacy. The daughter said she was not aware of the homes policy and was not upset the photo was posted. (2015) Unprofessional behaviour on social media by medical students. Such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated., How it became public: Government inspection report, news story, criminal charges. In this case it was a very minor technicality., How it became public:Government inspection report, news report, Description:A nursing assistant took a photo of a residents inner thighs and genitals while the resident sat on the toilet and shared it via Snapchat with a former employee. Nurs Ethics. It is not only employees that can be punished for violating HIPAA Rules. For nurses, that could be a costly mistake. In the video, the residents face was visible while sitting on a bedside commode with her pants below the knees, cleaning herself while laughing and singing. Nurses can positively use social media to share challenging or emotional experiences, but it is critical that they not mention any identifying patient or location information to avoid negative consequences. Unfortunately, not everyone follows suitable behavior on these platforms. Login to all social media sites in which you engage. One nursing assistant said pictures and videos were sent on many occasions. Social Media is definitely here to stay and will continue to grow and change. The staffer who posted the material told home officials she thought it was funny and thats why she posted the pictures. She asked who had turned her in and seemed unremorseful of her actions, the inspection report said. Encourage patients not to send private data through social channels and to set up a visit instead. Social media and patient privacy - a nurse leader's investigation At the end of the video, three distinct staff voices could be heard laughing. The employees admitted taking photos and sharing them with one another and with friends. Officials at the home did not return calls and emails seeking comment. You dont want someone to abuse their privilege as your friend to try to get special treatment. Any patient information may only be disclosed to other health care team members to provide further patient care. 38.5% said that they would use it for calling or checking/sending emails and texts. Using it at work to take pictures or videos could even mean HIPAA violations. Facility: Nevins Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre, Description: While talking to a friend on FaceTime, the live video chatting service from Apple, a nurse pointed the camera at a resident. One of these is that you need authorized consent for any pictures or videos of patients, especially if you plan on posting them. Read more about this incident. Chen XL, Fei Huang F, Zhang J, Li J, Ye BY, Chen YX, Zhang YH, Li F, Yu CF, Zhang JP. This is often called patient-targeting Googling when you search their online content to use in the clinical setting. The resident had her arms crossed over her breasts and her legs drawn upward. The resident, who was moderately cognitively impaired but required little regular assistance, told facility administrators that he was aware he was being filmed and was not upset about the incident. How it became public: Government Inspection Report. Its best not to creep on their profiles either. Nurses are welcome to use social media personally, with many potential benefits for both the individual nurses and the nursing community. Sharing health information of patients regardless of whether its in a good or bad light is a breach of confidentiality and privacy, as it publishes private information that patients may not want shared or publicly acknowledged. If you share republished stories on social media, wed appreciate being tagged in your posts. If something like that were to happen at a building I manage, I would take every exhaustive effort to ensure [residents] safety. The homes administrator did not return phone calls seeking comment. You can still be liable if your account gets compromised and their details leak. Other staff members in the background were laughing at the resident, who was cussing at the staff. The current executive director declined to comment beyond saying the facility has changed ownership since the incident. Description: A housekeeper posted photographs of two residents on Instagram. But confronting them about something they shared about their personal life that they didnt feel the need to bring up can be embarrassing. Facility: Roselawn Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation. The .gov means its official. BMC Med Ethics. **Type of facility:** Nursing home, Nursing Home Workers Share Explicit Photos of Residents on Snapchat, New Jersey to Suspend Prominent Psychologist for Failing to Protect Patient Privacy, COVID-19 Origins: Investigating a Complex and Grave Situation Inside a Wuhan Lab. An inspection found that the facility didnt submit a report of abuse in a timely way, as required. The assistant was suspended and later terminated. Yes, employers look up prospective employees before hiring them. Of these 33 BONs, 26 reported taking disciplinary action based on the . Employees were trained about the homes policies forbidding the posting of photos of residents by staff on social media. She looks over hundreds of photos on Instagram and follows surgeons on Snapchat. Any alleged violations of privacy were taken very seriously in an effort to ensure that employees, residents, patients and guests shared the commitment to protecting confidential information., Description:Three nursing assistants were caring for a resident in her room when one of them videotaped the residents naked body and posted it to Snapchat. Both pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and invasion of privacy through use of a surveillance device. Inappropriate use of social media necessitates health institutes, academic institutes, nurses and educators to consider occupational ethical principles while creating a policy and guide on the usage of social media. The staff person also was directed to remove the photo from the social media site. A medication aide who witnessed staff in the hallway discussing the incident reported it to the director of nursing the next day. But work isnt the time or place for it, especially in healthcare when patients need attention. These are the most inappropriate social posts ever from a sexy selfie In a statement to ProPublica, PrestigeCare said it was an isolated incident and that it instituted new, stricter cellphone and social media policies. As I said, you shouldnt follow your clients on these channels. No . The data were collected confidentially from the nurses working at a university hospital in Turkey, using the Personal Information Form and the Ethic Case Form. Distractions from these platforms at work only take away attention from clients. The facility found that a dietary aide had posted four livestream videos on her personal Facebook page of her and a co-worker talking with friends; in some, two residents could be seen seated at a dining room table in the background. Nursing policymakers, educators, administrators and clinicians need to cooperate in the development of ethical awareness and creation of solutions to violations, the preparation of guidelines for social media use. The homes interim administrator said she has no knowledge of the incident and declined comment. Maybe it doesnt seem like an identifier to you, but if someone knows that patient they may recognize who youre referring to. In a statement, Golden Living Chief Privacy Officer and Assistant General Counsel Erin Pope said, While social media has offered many the opportunity to share meaningful moments about patients and residents with their authorization, social media can create challenges in the healthcare setting. HIPAA & Social Media Use in Healthcare - Berxi Even seemingly harmless posts can violate a patient's right to privacy and confidentiality, with severe consequences. She said the resident was not exposed at all. As a doctor, you may feel the need to bring this up in their next visit. Facility:Stevens County Hospital LTCU DBA Pioneer Manor. We always do everything we can to protect the privacy of our residents, and take the steps we need to make sure they get the treatment they need, she said. Rant about place of employment Do not refer to patients in a disparaging manner, even if patients are not identified. Neither the facility nor the Los Angeles Police Department returned calls for comment. Participation in social media by the general public has increased sharply over the past nine years. Walters, who was hired this year, also declined to comment on the outcome of the facilitys internal investigation, saying only that staff had been retrained on the cellphone policy. National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The way you act within personal conversations on social media can reflect how you would act in a professional setting. complaints about nurses who violated patient privacy by post-ing photos or information on social networking sites. For example, there are currently nursing blogs about correctional nursing, the evolving health care environment, health care technologies, nursing school tips, travel nursing, and international nursing advice, among others. Is this the best you have? before using an explicit word, which was censored in the government inspection report. The caption on the picture indicated that the resident was trying to escape from bed. At the bottom of the picture was a heart-shaped icon and 11 likes (from the public). The irony here is that the resident was really looking good. Etactics makes efforts to assure all information provided is up-to-date. Charles Ornstein oversees the Local Reporting Network, as well as ProPublica offices in the Midwest, the South, the Southwest and a unit operated with The Texas Tribune.