Things That Make Nurses Look Unprofessional On Social Media

Social media has a range of personalities and topics, and of course people can present themselves as they wish, or as they are – so to speak. But if a person is representing an entire profession, he/she should know that if they come across in an unprofessional or tacky manner, they are not doing themselves, or their profession any favours. Body language speaks volumes, sometimes more than what is actually said.

I have a background working as an RN, and thankfully, am out of the profession, and no longer maintain a membership, or an active license. Whew! Therefore I make these observations from a dispassionate distance. It is nothing personal.

Social media is online publishing, just as layout and design is publishing on a website, or in a magazine. Most of us are amateurs, but we can follow some basic guidelines, to help with appearances, and improve our credibility.

First of all, any nurse who is honest, and wants to sincerely speak out as a patient or nurse advocate, will be censored. If they are not being censored, you pretty much know they are parroting the government narrative, even though they might pretend to be onside with the nurses.

Even so, nurses are understandably looking for advice and support during troubling times. So what things (in my opinion) make a nurse appear unprofessional on social media?

Body language and appearance. Most image experts will tell professionals to dress appropriately, professionally,  and consistently. A person who is self publishing wearing a sports bra one day, a T-shirt the next day, and business attire the following day – does not give a consistent or professional first impression.

Even if she is off duty and filming herself from home – if she is representing the profession, it is tacky to be wearing nothing but a sports bra to give an online presentation for all the world to see.

As far as dress code is concerned, if there is one thing I believe should be banned for all those giving direct care is gel nails, long nails, and nail polish. Gel nails cultivate bacteria in ways ordinary nails do not. They were traced back and identified as the cause of an infectious outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit that led to thirty-six baby deaths.

Gel nails, chipped nail polish, and very long nails, cannot be properly cleaned between patients, and are likely to pierce through the end of latex gloves. Plus when you see a person with perfect long gel nails, you really wonder how they can care for patients without worrying about damaging their perfect nails.

The same thing applies to people giving cooking demonstrations. When you see the long nails with stars and little rhinestones on them, mixing up a recipe of raw hamburger with their hands, it is cringe-worthy from a health perspective.

If the camera is too close to the person’s face, so there is no white space, or background showing at all, it gives an “in your face” impression. Close-ups can also make a person look harsh and overbearing. Also, a person should be checking whatever is in the background, because people will notice the background too.

If the topics are not researched and presented well – it shows. A person who is talking about defending the entire profession of nursing is probably biting off more than she can chew.

If she gives a full episode on how she likes to wear her hair at work, it is seriously dumbing down the profession. Does she really believe anyone cares about her long hair, and how she manages her work day hair do? Nurses with long hair, pin it up. Nothing has changed in that regard in a hundred years.

If a person is not really a nurse, and yet uses the title on social media to pose as a nurse, it quickly becomes obvious that she has no clue about the profession. She could be subjecting herself to legal challenges from the College of Nurses in whatever jurisdiction she lives in. Most Colleges have a statute that restricts people from using the title nurse without proper qualifications.

Witch hunts and gossip about other nurses on a public forum, comes across as unprofessional. If a nurse is acting in the role of a whistleblower, she must only speak about things she has been a direct witness to – not gossip and heresy. She should be willing to give her full testimony in court, or in front of the College, if her concerns or observations are legitimate.

A nurse who gives opinions on health care topics published in the media, especially in cases where nurses are charged with crimes, she is simply giving an opinion. It has no more merit than any other personal opinion. No one has the right right to exacerbate the circumstances a nurse might find herself in, or circumvent due process.

If the nurse is asking for money to further a cause, delve into what she is offering in return. You might be wasting your money.

Beware of what we used to call “graditis”. It is a term nurses use to basically roll their eyes at those who are self-righteous, and full of pride over their own nurse status and accomplishments. They are often nowhere near as experienced and brilliant as they seem to think they are.

Foul language. Again, people can use whatever language they choose, but should be aware that if they are representing a profession, foul language reflects not only on them, but also on the profession as a whole.

It is one thing to stop and chat with a co-worker and swear about some frustrating situation. But if you are publishing something online, swearing and using foul language, is something you will “wear’ forever. Just like the sports bra and sexy nurse image, is something that won’t go away once it is published and shared a few thousand times.

Dumbing down. All of the above, have a tendency to dumb down a profession that is not full of dumb nurses, but has its fair share. Like all professions, nursing has a wide range of personality types and levels of intellect, honesty, and competency.

Not all nurses are sweet and caring. Some are mean-spirited and narcissistic. Some are very intelligent, and others are barely capable of tying their shoes. Some are lazy, and will put more effort into avoiding work than actually doing it.

There is no one size fits all in the profession. Since caregiving is becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, I think it is quite possible unions will become a thing of the past, and nurses will negotiate their own contracts based on their credentials, intelligence, and track record.

Hopefully that might help to separate the wheat from the chaff. But the way things are going – who knows? In the meantime, use good discernment, and judgement on social media.

Health care seems to have turned into a real jungle. Social media is not much better. You never know what might come back to bite you in the butt. Remember the old adage – CYA.

I do realize my website could use improvements too. No doubt many would call it old-fashioned. But at least a picture of a hat, is not going to kill anyone. C’est la vie!

opyright Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West (2022). Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Valerie J. Hayes and Quiet West with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.