Social Media and Nurses' Professional and Personal Lives

Professionalism and Social Media
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Question 1
Based on my results from evaluating my social media accounts such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, I've come to the conclusion that the majority of the posts I've made or participated in are more personal than professional. My images and posts that are tagged in or related with were frequently shot at family events/parties, social gatherings with friends, churches, and shopping malls. Yes, some of my images show me, friends, and family members drinking alcohol, but we are all of legal drinking age and are not breaking the law. Drinking is not illegal unless you are under the age of 21 or if you are driving while inebriated (Gesser-Edelsburg, 2021). In addition, based on professional nursing norms, I believe my posts and interactions are not improper and will not have an impact on my nursing career.
Even outside my profession, I have always been so careful about what I post on my social media accounts. I usually feel like it is one place where one advertises themselves, and it is so easy for someone to simply go through another person’s posts and learn the kind of character or personality that the other person has. Additionally, some of these social media platforms usually provide a very personal account of someone and might infringe on it. As nurses, we must always maintain the highest level of professionalism, which includes maintaining a positive attitude, being responsible, working well with others, and always advocating for our patients. Inappropriate use of social media can result in legal issues for nurses, such as job termination, malpractice claims, and disciplinary action from boards of nursing (BON), all of which can have a negative impact on their nursing license and career (Rohmani, & Andriani, 2021). As nurses, these online spaces are more of a person’s reflection of themselves and the profession at large. People learn so much from them about someone. We are supposed to be great ambassadors of the profession.
Question 2
Nursing is one of the so-called noble professions. It is more of a calling and entails dealing with matters that border on life and death. They are therefore bound by a certain ethical code of conduct in their professional routine. As professional nurses, it is our ethical obligation to adhere to and follow the ethical and professional behavior norms set out by professional groups and healthcare organizations. One of these professional groups is the American Nurses Association (ANA). We will constantly be in the public and private limelight in our field, and as nurses, our professional image is highly important.
All of this helps to shape how we are seen in our profession and how we carry out our tasks and responsibilities to assist people in their time of need. That is why we must watch what we say and post on social media, as well as how we interact with othe...