Reflections on Professionalism Regarding Social Media

When asked to assess my social media habits, my first instinct was, ‘they’re fine’. I maintain a Facebook account for communicating with friends and keeping track of upcoming volleyball tournaments. That was the extent of my social media involvement. And that was enough for me. Social media, I reasoned, is a black hole for productivity, potentially leading to addiction (Cabral, 2011) and perhaps depression (Kırcaburun, 2016) for some users. Not to mention a potential landmine for anyone wishing to maintain a professional decorum. Additionally, being an introvert, minimizing public exposure places me safely within my comfort zone. However, I registered for an online graduate level course for a reason; I hoped to gain an enhanced understanding of and appreciation for technology. Whether I like it or not, social media is synonymous with modern technology. So how do I get to a point where I can amicably co-exist with such an adversary? As in many such relationships, understanding breeds respect.

To me, being a health care professional means providing patient-centred focus, cordial and timely attention to detail, continued competence in my area of expertise and the ability to effectively disseminate relevant information to clients in a manner and language that allows them to adequately digest it. Continued competence in the dynamic medical imaging field requires the pursuit of regular professional development (PD). Boyd et al. (2018) explored the prevalence and potential for the incorporation of social media into this realm. They determined that there does seem to be an appetite for this application among MRT’s. Benefits to such an approach would include: expanded expert networks with a greater variety of perspectives than one would be likely to encounter in one’s own workplace; reduced travel requirements lessen the investment of time and resources necessary to engage in PD activities; accelerated dissemination of new research could allow best practices to reach implementation stages earlier across the board (Bola & Liszewski, 2017). These considerations are especially true for professionals serving rural or underprivileged facilities.

Bola & Liszewski (2017) suggest an additional function for social media. Given the fact that most of the world now has access to the internet and a majority already use social media in some capacity (Boyd et al., 2018), many patients are now actively seeking answers to their medical concerns through social media. It stands to reason, Bola & Liszewski (2017) contend, that if this is happening concurrent to intra-professional discussions in the medical community, there must be some way to connect these two parallel streams in a meaningful and judicious way (Bola & Liszewski, 2017). Furthermore, Bola & Liszewski (2017) conclude that the use of social media for communication with patients must be part of our future health care approach if we are to deliver our most capable and accessible service.

Having faced these arguments, my stance on the role of social media in healthcare has shifted. Slightly. I cannot discount the merit of giving professionals the best opportunities to advance their skills and practice. I certainly would not wish to argue with offering patients the care that suits their individual needs and enhances their sense of control. The question becomes: how do we bridge this gap between professional collaboration and patients looking for answers? As an MRT, my role in the healthcare system is to perform a specific group of procedures for which I am a uniquely qualified expert and to ensure the comfort and safety of the patient throughout their experience. Part of this role is to ensure they are informed. I believe social media could be used to better inform patients prior to their diagnostic imaging procedures. Mailed letters and telephone calls are the standard for this in many facilities, but perhaps video tweets or Facebook notifications would be the preferred media for some. Regardless, I feel this should be a corporately run project, with clear institutional guidelines. An interactive departmental Nuclear Medicine page, for example could facilitate a platform for questions and feedback. Anonymity of comments from patients would be necessary to avoid confidentiality concerns, but professional feedback could be provided in real time during working hours. I maintain my position that front line healthcare workers such as myself should not be expected to publicly voice our medical knowledge or opinions through social media outlets in our private time. However, as someone who feels competent to share my expert opinion within a protected environment without compromising my standards of practice or professional code of ethics, I now believe I would feel secure in doing so.

Bibliography

Bola, R., & Liszewski, B. (2017). Knowledge Translation in 140 Characters or Less: #ProfessionalDevelopment #Collaboration #Patientengagement. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 48(3), 221–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JMIR.2017.06.003

Boyd, L., Lawson, C., DiProspero, L., Tan, K., Matthews, K., & Singh, N. (2018). Use of Online Media for Professional Development Amongst Medical Radiation Practitioners in Australia and Canada. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 49(2), 187–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2018.03.005

Cabral, J. (2011). Is Generation Y Addicted to Social Media? The Elon Journal of Undergraduate Research in Communications, 2(1), 5–14. Retrieved from http://www.elon.edu/docs/e-web/academics/communications/research/vol2no1/01Cabral.pdf

Kırcaburun, K. (2016). Self-Esteem, Daily Internet Use and Social Media Addiction as Predictors of Depression among Turkish Adolescents. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(24), 64–72. Retrieved from www.iiste.org