Social Media Information for Nurses & Midwives

To all students: as I am sure you are all aware, social networking via electronic means is now commonplace and sites such as Facebook, YouTube and My Space are extremely popular in this virtual environment. These sites come with Privacy guidelines that should be read and adhered to, and individuals should also ensure the privacy settings on their networking accounts are robust and active. Information posted to such sites inevitably ends up in the public domain, and whilst this can have many benefits if used appropriately, it also can have serious and often unexpected or unintended negative consequences if used inappropriately. For example, personal information about individuals and/or organisations can easily be accessed by those for whom it was not intended, potentially posing a significant security risk for that person or organisation. Negative, derogatory, defamatory or racial statements about individuals or groups also have no place on such sites.

As student nurses and midwives, you have a responsibility to adhere to the respective Codes of Professional Conduct produced by the ANMC. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia has produced an information sheet on the use of social media, and I strongly urge you to take 10 minutes to read it, noting carefully the impact that inappropriate use of such sites can have on your registration as a nurse and/or midwife. Should any student(s) be found to be using such sites in an unprofessional and inappropriate manner, I will have no hesitation in applying the University’s Student Conduct Policy, which I encourage you to also read carefully.

I have a zero tolerance approach to this type of behaviour, as does the University, the nursing and midwifery professions, and your current/future employers. I am reliably informed that employers will do routine checks to see if you have any prior history of using social media inappropriately and if identified, it may impact significantly on your employment.

Clearly, these are serious issues for you to consider currently and into the future. I trust that all students will continue to act responsibly and professionally regarding the use of social media sites. This responsibility extends to our friends and colleagues, the School, the University and the nursing and midwifery professions.

Regards,
David Lindsay
HEAD OF SCHOOL