Reflect

You can now reflect and develop an action plan for how you might use social media in your healthcare practice.

Will you change how you use social media going forwards?

Think about how aware you are of who follows you on social media,who might see what you post?

Do you need to change your privacy settings?

Do you need to review your employer’s policy on social media?

Perhaps this session has triggered a great idea on how you might use social media to benefit your practice

For more resources on how to reflect, please see the NSHCS.

Key points to remember:

• Historic posts matter: Review your old posts and comments against the current standards.
• No discrimination: Ensure your personal values and beliefs do not lead to discrimination. Make sure your posts don’t hinder access to your services.
• Set boundaries: Keep clear professional boundaries with service users and colleagues, consider having separate personal and professional social media accounts.
• Use proper communication: Always communicate professionally.
• No abuse of position: Don’t pursue personal relationships with service users or colleagues.
• Think before you post: Consider the impact of your posts on different audiences.
• Employer approval: Check with your employer if you plan to use a professional account to contact service users.
• Control your content: Remember, personal posts can be seen by a wider audience and may be hard to delete.

By following these guidelines, you can use social media effectively and responsibly in both your professional and personal life. Always keep in mind the impact of your online presence and strive to maintain the high standards expected of healthcare professionals.