Professionalism is an essential part of the nurse-client relationship. It is founded on the principles of trust and putting the needs of the client first. As a registered nurse working in Ontario, my practice is governed by The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). With the increased use of social media in our everyday life, professionals need to be aware of how they represent themselves online. With an ever-changing online world, it is important for professionals to conduct themselves in a manner that is representative of the profession they are in and how they want to be viewed by others. Having a strong sense of one’s professional values and keeping professional and private aspect of your life separate will help guide one’s online identity. This reflective paper will examine what kind of professional identity I want to have for myself as a registered nurse, define my professional values and discuss where I fit within the healthcare system.
With the increased use of social media, I feel it is important to establish a professional identity that reflects who I am as a nurse. According to the “We are Social” website (2018) over three billion people are on social media. With numbers this high, it is important to have guidelines in place to ensure a standard of professional practice is being maintained. The CNO has issued a position statement through the International Nurse Regulator Collaborative (INRC) to help nurses understand the common expectations when using social media as a professional.
The INRC (2016) emphasizes creating boundaries and using the same level of professionalism on-line, as you would in a face-to-face interaction. Setting strict privacy online will limit access to personal information. This is very important to me as my role often involves apprehension of children due to neglect and abuse. I am diligent about keeping personal and professional information separate and have become selective about the content I endorse online.
In healthcare, professionals must act in a certain manner to gain the respect and trust of their clients and colleagues. The CNO has created a set of standards that helps guide professional practice. These nursing standards are expectations that contribute to public protection. They inform nurses of their accountability and the public of what to expect of nurses. Standards apply to all nurses regardless of their role, job description or area of practice (Professional Standards-Revised 2002., 2002).
The professional identity that I want to have is one where people respect and trust my expertise as a public health nurse. I want to be a nurse who is viewed as knowledgeable, accountable and an advocate for her clients. A nurse who is a promoter of health and well-being, and who has a strong commitment to lifelong learning. When thinking about my professional values, the words dignity, compassion and health equity come to mind. Dignity means having respect for human individuality and treating everyone as a unique human being (Parandeh, Khaghanizade, Mohammadi, & Mokhtari-Nouri, 2016). As a public health nurse, I am often involved with families who have experienced trauma. By providing care with dignity and compassion, I am creating a foundation for a strong nurse-client relationship. Health equity is a priority area for my health department. “Health equity means that every person has a fair opportunity to live a long healthy life regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, income, sexual orientation or other social outcome” (What is health equity?, n.d.).. I am proud to work for an organization that values access and opportunity for all with regards to health.
In Canada, provincial/territorial legislations are used to grant nurses the legal right to use the title of “registered nurse” or “RN” (The practice of nursing., 2018). As an RN, working in public health in Ontario, I deliver the provincially funded program Healthy Babies Healthy Children. This program educates and support families by connecting them to community resources/referrals, offering screening, assessments and support around risks that could affect growth development. We have begun using social media to engage with clients and offer supports. The response has been positive so far and I look forward to seeing how my role adapts with more online capabilities.
References
About the College of Nurses of Ontario. (2018). Retrieved from College of Nurses of Ontario: http://www.cno.org/en/what-is-cno/
Digital in 2018: World's internet users pass the 4 billion mark. (2018, January 30). Retrieved from We are social.: https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2018/01/global-digital-report-2018
Ethics. (2009). Retrieved from College of Nurses of Ontario: https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41034_ethics.pdf
International Nurse Regulator Collaborative. (2016). Retrieved from Social media use: Common expectations for nurses.: http://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/incr-social-media-use-common-expectations-for-nurses.pdf
Parandeh, A., Khaghanizade, M., Mohammadi, E., & Mokhtari-Nouri, J. (2016). Nurses' human dignity in education and practice: An integrated literature review. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, (21)1, 1-8.
Professional Standards-Revised 2002. (2002). Retrieved from College of Nurses of Ontario: http://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41006_profstds.pdf
Professionalism. (n.d.). Retrieved from English Oxford Living Dictionaries: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/professionalism
The practice of nursing. (2018). Retrieved from Canadian Nurses Association: https://cna-aiic.ca/en/nursing-practice/the-practice-of-nursing
What is health equity? (n.d.). Retrieved from Boston Public Health Commission : http://www.bphc.org/whatwedo/health-equity-social-justice/what-is-health-equity/Pages/what-is-health-equity.aspx
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