The term Social Media includes, but is not limited to social networking sites such as Facebook, Linked-ln, Twitter, Instagram and any other site that is normally considered under social networking.
Students are advised to use social media cautiously. Any disclosure, intentional or unintentional, of information that could lead to the identification of a patient will result in appropriate disciplinary actions up to suspension from the college. Removal of an individual’s name, or face, or image is not sufficient to protect identity or confidential information. The use of privacy settings that are available on many social networking sites, does not guarantee that information will not appear in public and is thus not deemed sufficient to protect confidential patient information. There is no such thing as a “private” social media site.
Students are not to make negative, disparaging, or unprofessional remarks about the college, fellow students, instructors, patients (either a generalized or specific group of patients, or an individual), patient visitors, clinical sites or other health care professionals through social media. Students will be held responsible for their postings as well as postings in response to them. Any negative or disparaging remarks, intentional or unintentional, through social media will be considered unprofessional and a form of misconduct. This type of misconduct will be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions. Students should assume that anyone including fellow students, instructors, patients and patient families, as well as employees of the clinical facilities can read any posting.
The following guidelines are to be followed:
- Students may not access or post to social media sites during class, lab or clinical time.
- Students must not save or transmit confidential, identifying or sensitive patient information on your personal computer or other electronic device.
- E-mail or texting correspondence with faculty should be treated as public and should not include patient identifying information.
- Students must comply with clinical agency regulations regarding use of computers, cameras, electronic devices, cell phones and social media while present in the facility.
- Student should report breaches of this policy to an instructor promptly.