The American Nurses Association and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing have mutually endorsed each organization's guidelines for professionalism in social media, according to a joint news release.
While social networking can help nurses communicate, connect with others and learn more, ANA and NCSBN urge nurses to understand the potential consequences of disclosing patient-related information via social media.
The organizations also encourage nurses to be aware of employer, state and federal regulations and professional standards for patient privacy and confidentiality. ANA and NCSBN have written separate guides for nurses on using social media professionally.
ANA's guidelines, "ANA's Principles for Social Networking and the Nurse," is available as a downloadable PDF free to ANA members on the members-only section of www.nursingworld.org; non-members may order the publication at www.nursesbooks.org.
NCSBN's white paper "A Nurse's Guide to the Use of Social Media" can be downloaded free at www.ncsbn.org/Social_Media.pdf (pdf).
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