NSCN has developed Social Media Guidelines to help nurses understand their accountabilities and identify strategies to minimize risk so they continue to meet their standards of practice when using social media.
Individuals, including nurses are using social media during the COVID-19 pandemic to stay connected and informed while the physical distancing requirements are in place. The escalated use, and reliance on social media for information and staying connected in these uncertain times, increases the potential for its misuse.
The following information was developed specifically for during the pandemic. It does not replace the social media guidelines, but rather complements them, and both should be used in conjunction with your standards of practice.
Professional Presence
It is important to remember that social media is a public forum. This includes private groups, direct messages and messages to and/or from ‘personal’ accounts. When nurses make the decision to use social media and enter a public space, they must always uphold their standards of practice and maintain a professional presence.
NSCN does not want to censor nurses
We support the appropriate use of social media. However, we want nurses to consider what, when and how they post to ensure they are not contributing to the abundance of misinformation or adding to the pandemic-related anxiety and panic. Additionally, nurses must be sure their posts are not giving the impression that they cannot or will not provide unbiased care. Above all, nurses must not post anything that could negatively affect the public’s confidence in the nursing profession.
What is considered a professional post?
- Posts that use respectful language demonstrating a positive image and is in keeping with the standards of practice and code of ethics
- Information from reputable, qualified and verifiable sources
- Evidenced-based views of subject matter experts and legitimately qualified sources
What is not appropriate to share during the pandemic?
- Confidential information (e.g., information about a client, colleague, your workplace or others).
- Inaccurate or harmful claims about COVID-19 (e.g., unproven health-related advice about the virus, treatments, and therapies, health care information based on personal opinion rather than scientific evidence).
- Information that gives the impression that you are unable to provide unbiased care
- Unprofessional, harmful or threatening comments that may incite anxiety, panic, fear or distrust in the nursing profession and/or health system.
How you say it matters
Sometimes it is not what you say but how you say it. A perfectly good message can go from professional to unprofessional simply by using:
- Profanity and general expletives
- Offensive comments that hurt others
- Insulting language towards individuals, groups, communities and/or organizations
- Dramatization that mimics anger (e.g. all caps, multiple exclamation marks, negative symbols or emojis)
Advocacy
Advocacy is of importance during the pandemic. Every nurse is expected to be an advocate for their clients as outlined in their standards of practice. Nurses are expected to advocate using proper channels, established processes and mechanisms. The use of social media may, or may not be appropriate for client advocacy. Nurses should consider all options and all outcomes if they decide to use social media as an advocacy platform.
Before you post information related to the pandemic, ask yourself:
- Is this the right vehicle to share my thoughts?
- Is this information credible and does it benefit the public?
- Does this reflect my professionalism as a trusted nurse?
- Will this post add to the anxiety or panic about the pandemic?
- Does the post reflect facts and/or evidence from qualified sources, or does it reflect my opinion?
- Will this post reflect poorly on my profession, colleagues, employer, union or others?
- Would it be acceptable for me to say this face to face or in a room full of clients, colleagues or my family?
- Will this post violate my standards of practice, or a condition of my employment contract, or union contract?
What to do if you see an inappropriate post
Every nurse has a duty to address conduct that does not meet the standards of practice and code of ethics. If you see an inappropriate post from a nurse that you know, reach out to them and talk about your concerns. If you do not know the nurse or if you feel that you cannot talk to the nurse directly, contact a Practice Consultant at practice@nscn.ca and provide screenshot(s) of the post in question.
What to expect from NSCN
NSCN has a process in place to address these issues. If you see an inappropriate post from a nurse, our first action is to ask that you address it with the nurse, or their employer or union directly if you feel comfortable doing so. If not, please share your concerns with us by email at practice@nscn.ca.
We will carefully review the information that you provide and take action as required. Action may include a letter of guidance asking the nurse to remove the content or, in the most serious matters, a letter of complaint that may result in professional misconduct.
Check First. Share After.
Visit Canada's Centre for Digital and Media Literacy website for more information on stopping the spread of misinformation.
