Open community and clarity over control: American Nurses Association

How awesome is this!

Clicking on the link leads you to this:

Submit Comments: Principles of Social Networking and the Nurse

The American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Congress on Nursing Practice and Economic (CNPE) is seeking public comment on the “Principles of Social Networking and the Nurse.”

Social networking has become integral in many nurses lives, and some issues are arising around what type of communication, information, and interactions are appropriate for professionals, whether on or off the job. Relying on an Action of the 2010 ANA House of Delegates, “Social Networking and the Nurse,” ANA staff, in consultation with the CNPE Practice and Regulation Workgroup and the ANA Ethics Advisory Board, developed an outline of professional principles to guide nurses in their use of social media.

ANA is seeking comments of nurses, nursing students, and anyone in the general public on this document. If you are interested in participating in this review please download the document and submit your comments via the online form below by 5:00pm EDT on June 9, 2011. If you have questions, contact ANA Department of Nursing Practice and Policy. The CNPE appreciates your assistance with reviewing this important document.

The basic principles they set out in the pdf linked above are these:

Principles

1. Patient privacy is a fundamental ethical and legal obligation of nurses.  Nurses must observe standards of patient privacy and confidentiality at all times and in all environments, including online.  Nurses must not transmit or place online individually identifiable patient information.  The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient and nurses are ethically required to practice with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.

2. Nurses who interact with patients on social media must observe ethically prescribed patient –nurse professional boundaries.  The precepts guiding nurses in these matters are no different online than they are in person.

3. Nurses should take advantage of privacy settings available on many social networking sites in their personal online activities, and seek to separate their personal and professional sites and information online.

4. Use of privacy setting and separation of personal and professional information online does not guarantee, however, that information will not bleed through or be repeated in less protected forums.  Therefore, it is prudent for the nurse to evaluate all his or her postings with the potential for patient, colleague, or employer viewing in mind.  Online content and behavior has the potential to either enhance or undermine not only the individual nurse’s career, but also the nursing profession.

5. Nurses who view content posted by a colleague that is unprofessional or that potentially violates ethical or legal obligations should first bring the questionable content to the attention of the individual, so that the individual can take appropriate action.  If the posting is egregious enough or if the individual does not remove the posting, the nurse has the obligation to report the matter to supervisors or other authorities.