orm_november-2023 - 11

LEADERSHIP
BY MELANIE PERRY
Mastering social media responsibility: A guide for OR leaders
n today's digital age, social media
channels such as Facebook, Instagram,
YouTube, and TikTok are
transforming the ways we connect and
communicate. Through these platforms,
users can share information, ideas, and
personal messages, as well as build
networks and communities. It is also
becoming an integral part of everyday
life. In the US alone, 246 million people
are active social media users, which accounts
for 72.5% of the total US population.
I
From
these numbers, we can assume
many of our perioperative staff
are using social media every day. And
while our staff may be adept at using
social media in their personal lives, proficiency
in personal use does not necessarily
equate to knowing how to leverage
social media responsibly and professionally.
Therefore, it is important to address
the distinctions between personal
and professional use of social media.
Social media platforms provide an
incredible opportunity for collaboration,
professional networking, and sharing
best practices within the nursing community.
However, it is equally important
to navigate potential pitfalls such as
maintaining patient confidentiality, upholding
professional boundaries, and
promoting a positive online presence.
This carries a higher weight of responsibility
than simply scrolling through
newsfeeds, liking and sharing content,
watching reels, and posting pictures of
our personal lives on our social media
accounts. By acknowledging this gap
and addressing it explicitly in our educational
initiatives, we can bridge the
divide and ensure that our staff understand
the professional
their online presence.
implications of
Understanding organizational
policies
The foundation of responsible social
media usage in our profession begins
with a well-defined and comprehensive
social media policy. While this policy
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will more than likely be written at the
corporate level, it is helpful for us as
perioperative leaders to collaborate with
our institution's legal and compliance
departments to familiarize ourselves
with the social media policies in place
within our organization. These policies
should outline guidelines, expectations,
and boundaries related to social media
usage for both personal and professional
purposes. Understanding these
policies equips us to educate our staff
effectively and ensure compliance within
organizational standards.
A strong social media policy functions
like an extension of our Code of
Conduct and should encompass guidelines
regarding appropriate content,
patient privacy, professional boundaries,
confidential
information, and consequences
for policy violations. Clearly
define what is considered acceptable
and unacceptable behavior (eg, posting
pictures with coworkers taken in the
break room vs posting selfies taken
in patient care areas) and ensure that
staff understand the potential repercussions
of their actions online.
The social media policies we have
in place should be designed to protect
our organization, our employees, and
our patients. However, we must also
be aware of overstepping and encroaching
upon our employees' freedom of
speech. The goal is not to micromanage
or monitor everything our staff post,
but rather to provide a framework that
guides our employees as they use social
media.
This framework should not infringe
on the freedom to post on social media.
Employees are free to post to their accounts,
but they need to be made aware
that, unless directed, they do not represent
their facility as a spokesperson;
nor should their comments on social
media reflect negatively on the organization
or violate patient privacy.
For example: A disgruntled employee
might turn to social media to complain
about the organization, their salary, another
coworker, or working conditions.
Another employee might post about a
patient experience and share sensitive,
identifying details. In both instances,
the employees have gone beyond what
is professionally appropriate to post.
For the above examples, consider
this: What if the employee tags their
organization in their post? Employees
often do omit the company tag, believing
that it offers them more anonymity.
But even mentioning it by name will run
the risk of the post coming to the attention
of the leadership team. Even if they
delete the post, there is no guarantee
that eventually it woill not be seen
somehow. It only takes one person to
see the post, capture a screenshot of
it, and report it to administration or
Human Resources.
This is why we need to educate our
employees on proper social media
use-not only to avoid such errant social
media posts, but to avoid a HIPAA
violation or potentially negative view of
the organization, as well as to protect
the staff member's reputation.
Strategies for educating staff on
proper use
Develop comprehensive training programs.
We must prioritize developing
comprehensive training programs that
address the nuances of social media
usage. Comprehensive programs will
discuss the importance of patient confidentiality
but will also go beyond HIPAA
laws to cover topics such as privacy settings,
professional etiquette, and legal
considerations.
Foster open dialogue. Creating a safe
space for open dialogue about social
media usage is crucial. Encourage staff
members to share their experiences,
concerns, and questions regarding social
media use in the workplace. By actively
listening and providing guidance,
we can dispel misconceptions, clarify
organizational policies, and empower
our staff to make responsible choices in
their online interactions.
OR Manager | Nov/Dec 2023 11
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