As you may know, the Ohio Nurses Association has a task force focusing on the appropriate and safe use of social media by patients, visitors, and family members. Too often, healthcare facilities don't seem to have policies that inform patients and visitors about the privacy expectations of their fellow patients and of the staff that are providing care, especially when video or picture-taking are involved.
Staff members themselves may be confused when they are asked to transmit patient information by an insecure device. And what about answering a colleague's phone? Is that always appropriate?
Before the task force develops its final guidance statement, we would like to provide you with one more opportunity to respond to our survey questions. Please consider the following:
1. Does your employer have policies that address the use of social media by patients, families, or visitors?
2. Does the policy include restrictions or cautions regarding picture taking or filming, especially via phones?
3. How does the facility inform patients, family, and visitors of social media policies?
4. How does the facility enforce social media policies for patients, families, or visitors?
5. Please describe any experiences you have had regarding the inappropriate or intrusive use of social media of any type by patients, families, or visitors.
6. Please describe any experiences with social media in which you were asked to do something (i.e., take a picture, answer another's phone, etc.) that made you feel uncomfortable or feel that you might be violating a policy or standard. Include who asked you to perform the act. Was it a physician, charge nurse, or supervisor?
7. Does your employer have policies or procedures regarding the issues discussed in question #6?
You may post your questions, answers, or concerns to the blog or respond directly to kmorris@ohnurses.org. The task force is hoping to gather further input to inform their work and development of a guidance statement for health care facilities. Look for an article on the work of the social media task force in the upcoming Nov/Dec issue of the Ohio Nurses Review.