Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ethical Reasoning and Online Social Media
Ethical Reasoning and Online Social Media
Nurse Educator
Vol. 37, No. 6, pp. 242-247
Copyright * 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health |
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
he popularity of online social networking has exploded in recent years, creating an environment of
unparalleled interconnectedness among college
students across the globe. Recent data indicate that more
than two-thirds of adults between the ages of 18 and 32
years frequent social media Web sites.1 Individuals engaged in online social networking have opportunities to
chat informally with others and share photographs,
videos, and other sensitive information. Unfortunately, such
connectivity has resulted in some unforeseen consequences.
Seamless navigation to millions of online sites, coupled
with a general lack of knowledge about the Internet, gives
users a false sense of security and privacy. This poses a
significant problem in that online postings are subject to a
certain level of evidentiary disclosure and, once posted
on the Internet, become part of a permanent record that
cannot be expunged.2
The ease with which personal information can be circulated for public scrutiny also poses serious challenges to
privacy and professionalism.3 This is especially true for
healthcare students and providers where professional boundaries are imperative to establishing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with patients.4 Research indicates that
nursing students tend to use online social networking forums to cope with emotional and ethical stressors inherent
to the profession. These Web communities become support groups and enable students to find meaning in difficult
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Methods
Measures
This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board
for the Protection of Human Participants at the University of
Wisconsin Oshkosh (UWOSH). We developed a 21-item
survey (Table 1) consisting of statements based on the 9
provisions of the ANA Code of Ethics (Table 2).14 The casual
terminology used in the instrument was representative of
language and colloquialisms used by our target population
(undergraduate nursing students). Our goal was to take the
ANA provisions and reflect the underlying intent of each
provision in a statement that could easily be found posted on
a social media site by an undergraduate nursing student. For
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243
Survey Statement
Representative
12, 14, 16
8, 11
2, 9
5, 6, 13
4, 7, 10, 20
1, 5, 15
18, 21
17, 18, 19
3, 21
Sample
To determine the sample size for the study, we conducted a
power analysis using the Raosoft Sample Size Calculator
(available at http://www.raosoft.com/samplesize.html) online.
For a 5% margin of error, 95% confidence interval, and an
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Data Analysis
Data were analyzed using the SPSS PASW Statistics 18 software. Mean scores for sophomore 2 and senior 2 students on
each item were calculated and compared using the t test to
determine differences in ethical reasoning pertaining to
posting clinical content on social media sites.
Results
A total of 69 of 79 sophomore 2 students (87% response rate)
and 56 of 69 senior 2 students (81% response rate) participated in the survey. Not all participants answered every
question. Levene test indicated that equal variances were
assumed for all items except item 9. Internal consistency of
items for all student surveys revealed a Cronbach ! of .884
(Cronbach ! for the sophomore 2 students was .858; for
senior 2 students, it was .907), indicating that the tool had
high reliability.
Demographic Data
Demographic data (percentages rounded) were collected and
indicated that having a social media account was comparable
and pervasive in both groups (sophomores, 99%; seniors,
96%). The mean ages were typical for traditional undergraduate
nursing students (sophomores, 22.4 years; seniors, 24.4years).
The sample was predominantly women (sophomores, 87%;
seniors, 86%). Ninety-seven percent of the sophomores and 86%
of the senior students had certified nursing assistant preparation with 2.5 to 3.13 years of applicable work experience.
The majority of both groups (sophomores, 90%; seniors,
88.5%) indicated that they did not hold a previous college
degree. Finally, 71% of the sophomores and 70 of the seniors
were aware that the UWOSH CON had a social networking
policy.
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deprecating post (item 10) yielded similar results, with senior 2 students having a greater sense that such a statement
should not be posted (sophomore 2 mean, 3.48; senior
2 mean, 4.02). Item 13 referred to trying to connect with
others online while on a break during clinical; the sophomore 2 mean was 2.86, and the senior 2 mean was 3.43,
indicating that both student groups were unsure if the item
should be posted or not.
Item 15, which refers to organizational policy and
positive staffing patterns, yielded significant results with
sophomore 2 students mean indicating this being OK to
post and senior 2 students mean indicating neutrality
and uncertainty toward posting. This was in contrast to a
similar item about negative staffing (item 6) in which both
Table 3. Range, Frequency, and Percentage of Sophomore 2 and Senior 2 Student Responses
Sophomore
2 Mean (SD)
(n = 79, n = 69)
4.20 (1.04)
3.48 (1.15)
3.56 (1.14)
2.86 (1.36)
3.86 (1.16)
Frequency and %
Senior
Frequency and No.
of Students
Significance (2-Tailed)a
2 Mean (SD)
of Students
Choosing Each
(n = 69,
Choosing Each
Comparing Sophomore
Response
n = 56)
Response
2 and Senior Students
Range 1-5
1 = 2 (2.9)
2 = 7 (10.3)
3 = 3 (4.4)
4 = 23 (33.8)
5 = 33 (48.5)
Missing: 1
Range 1-5
1 = 5 (7.4)
2 = 9 (13.2)
3 = 14 (20.6)
4 = 29 (42.6)
5 = 11 (16.2)
Missing: 1
Range 1-5
1 = 3 (4.4)
2 = 12 (17.6)
3 = 13 (19.1)
4 = 26 (38.2)
5 = 14 (20.6)
Missing: 1
Range 1-5
1 = 13 (19.1)
2 = 19 (27.9)
3 = 11 (16.2)
4 = 15 (22.1)
5 = 10 (14.7)
Missing: 1
Range 1-5
1 = 2 (3)
2 = 8 (11.9)
3 = 14 (20.9)
4 = 17 (25.4)
5 = 26 (38.8)
Missing: 2
4.64 (0.79)
Range 1-5
1 = 2 (3.6)
2 = 1 (1.8)
3 = 1 (1.8)
4 = 10 (17.9)
5 = 42 (75)
.017a
4.02 (1.18)
Range 1-5
1 = 3 (5.4)
2 = 4 (7.1)
3 = 7 (12.5)
4 = 17 (30.4)
5 = 25 (44.6)
.010a
4.36 (0.88)
Range 1-5
1 = 2 (3.6)
2 = 1 (1.8)
3 = 5 (8.9)
4 = 17 (30.4)
5 = 31 (55.4)
.000a
3.43 (1.45)
Range 1-5
1 = 7 (12.5)
2 = 10 (17.9)
3 = 6 (10.7)
4 = 14 (25)
5 = 19 (33.9)
.012a
4.42 (1.01)
Range 1-5
1 = 1 (1.8)
2 = 3 (5.5)
3 = 5 (9.1)
4 = 9 (16.4)
5 = 37 (67.3)
Missing: 1
.005a
Scale: 1 = OK to post, does not violate ethical standards of nursing practice; 2 = may be OK to post, probably does not violate
ethical standards of nursing practice; 3 = neutral, I am not sure if it violates ethical standards of nursing practice; 4 = probably should
not be posted, may violate ethical standards of nursing practice; and 5 = not OK to post, strongly violates ethical standards of nursing
practice.
a
Two-tailed.
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245
Discussion
Study results indicate that participation in popular online
social media forums such as Facebook and Twitter was
pervasive among our sample of undergraduate nursing
students, consistent with findings of other research studies.1,8-11,13 Kind et al15 and Chretien et al8 reported that less
than half of accredited medical schools they surveyed had
guidelines or policies that explicitly mentioned social media.
Although the CON has a policy in place, unfortunately,
results of this study indicated that 27.5% of the sophomore
2 students and 30.4% of the senior 2 students were either
unaware or unsure if the CON had such a policy. Clearly,
more effective methods are needed to ensure that students
are aware of the CONs social media policy.
The ANA16 recently identified 6 essential principles that
all RNs should adhere to when participating in online social
media. According to the ANA, nurses and nursing students
must be aware of their legal and ethical role in maintaining
patient confidentiality. In general, our study results indicated
that the 2 student cohorts were in agreement about posting
or not posting 14 of 21 (67%) statements in our survey (Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/NE/A76).
There were significant differences in responses to 7 of
21 (33%) of the survey items. The senior students indicated
more neutrality than sophomores to item 15, demonstrating
they were not sure if it was OK to post information about a
new staffing policy that was a favorable reflection on the
organization. For 4 items that were significantly different
(items 2, 9, 12, and 16), the seniors had a better understanding that those statements should not be posted, likely
because of their personal, academic, and professional
maturity. Higher mean age, more years of nursing assistant
experience, and more years of nursing clinical and theory
courses might give them more exposure to ethical dilemmas
and rules and regulations associated with confidentiality and
HIPAA guidelines.
Items framed in positive or complimentary ways toward
patients may have confused the younger, less experienced
students. Item 2 related to a patients age and neighborhood,
noting the patient could be a new friend. Item 9 included a
patients first name and the fictitious name of the nursing
home in which the patient resided. Item 13 shed a positive
light on the experience of caring for a prisoner. The senior 2
students may have better understood that sharing such
content violated confidentiality rules or HIPAA standards.
Younger students may not realize the ramifications that
could arise from disclosing staffing patterns at facilities in
which they are employed. Whereas both groups appropriately reported that item 6, which addressed a staffing pattern
that could negatively affect patient care, should not be
posted, the sophomore 2 students did not similarly realize
that even reporting a positive staffing pattern (item 15) may
be inappropriate. Posting such information could indicate to
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the public that care might not have been optimal before the
new staffing pattern was implemented and could reflect
negatively on the organization.17 Item 12 identifies that the
patient did not speak English. Again, the younger students
may not realize that such information could lead to that
patient being identified, which is a clear violation of confidentiality guidelines.6
The senior 2 students leaned toward neutrality when
responding to item 13, connecting with friends on a social
media site during a clinical break. There was a significant
difference between the 2 groups, with the sophomore 2
group leaning toward this item probably being OK to post.
This neutrality on the part of the seniors indicates that
perhaps policies need to be developed to guide students
and nurses about what is, or is not, acceptable during a
scheduled break. This may vary according to institutional
policy. Clarifying organizational expectations is important to
ensure that employees and students alike have clear ideas of
appropriate or inappropriate online behavior.
Lagu et al13 found that 17.7% of weblogs written by
health professionals contained information that described
patients in a negative light and 30% reflected the healthcare
profession negatively. In the current study, survey items 8,
14, 16, 17, 18, and 19 showed patients in a somewhat negative light, and items 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 10 depicted negative
aspects associated with the nursing profession. Of these,
only items 10 and 16 showed significant differences in the
responses between the sophomores and seniors. Item 10
indicates being overwhelmed at work and feeling sorry if
you were my patient today. The seniors were more likely
not to post the content, whereas the sophomores leaned
toward being unsure whether this violated any ethical guidelines. Item 16 mentioned being scared of caring for a prisoner.
Certainly, it would not be appropriate to publicly note any
member of a social group for whom one cared.
A surprising finding of this study was the uncertainty or
neutrality reported by both groups when responding to
statements 5, 11, and 15. The ANA6 espouses that all nurses
must be made aware of their legal and ethical role in
maintaining patient confidentiality, yet the results indicate
that students may not understand what that role is when
using social media. It is clear that ethical reasoning within
the realm of online social media remains an equivocal
phenomenon that requires further empirical investigation.
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Conclusion
Maintaining patients privacy and keeping all matters confidential are important fundamental obligations for nurses.
According to the ANA,14 The nurses primary commitment
is to the patient, and nurses are ethically required to practice
with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity and
worth of every individual.14(2011, p4) Although online social
networking sites provide students with a sense of connectivity, socialization, and emotional support, the Internet can
represent a unique and very real threat to nursing professionalism. Nurse educators are charged with instilling the
skills and ethical values necessary to successfully navigate a
digital world.
References
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maintaining a professional compass in the era of social
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2. Klich-Heartt E, Prion S. Social networking and HIPPA: ethical
concerns for nurses. Nurse Lead. 2010;8(2):56-58.
3. Farnan J, Paro J, Higa J, Edelson J, Arora V. The YouTube
generation: implications for medical professionalism. Perspect
Biol Med. 2008;51(4):517-525.
4. Guseh J, Brendel R, Brendel D. Medical professionalism in
the age of online social networking. J Med Ethics. 2009;
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5. Erlen J. HIPPA: clinical and ethical considerations for nurses.
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6. American Nurses Association. Code of Ethics for Nurses
With Interpretive Statements. 2001. Available at http://www
.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/EthicsStandards/
CodeofEthicsforNurses/Code-of-Ethics.aspx. Accessed July
1, 2012.
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