I’ve been a Registered Nurse (R.N.) for 16 years and have never given much thought to my professional identity until this course. During week 1, we were asked to perform a social media audit. Three items displayed, a Facebook and Linkedin account, neither of which received much use. The third was an article from a magazine generated by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, this was my first foray into the online space. Even though my participation in social media has been minimal, I’ve come to realize it has a decidedly important role in shaping our personal and professional environments. Moorley & Chinn (2015) assert that social media can evolve nursing leadership, education and awareness. However as a steward for the facility, I must take the necessary time to evaluate these assertions before embracing such technology. As an employee within the WRHA, I can refer to policies regarding use of social media. Suggested reference material includes the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) use of social media platforms, as well as a Jurisprudence module from the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM). The CNA provides a thorough review of decision points to consider before posting, as well as possible consequences for violating patient confidentiality among other pertinent topics (CNA, 2017). Twitter, Facebook and blogs are prevalent throughout society and likely to remain, therefore it’s advisable to become familiar and increase my online presence. With that said, I’m extremely cautious when posting on social media platforms. I’ve worked very hard to maintain a professional reputation. Should a comment be misinterpreted today or 5 years from now it could be detrimental. As such, I refrain from engaging in discussions related to health and well-being and stick to low-risk content such as Linkedin.
My professional identity stems from an awareness of personal values and professional development. During my nursing studies, I was exposed to professional standards, such as Personal Health Information Act (PHIA), code of conduct and providing ethical care. Participation in course work and clinical practicums confirmed values of caring and trust, whilst shedding light on other professional values. Since personal and professional values arise from naturally occurring experiences, I believe in accountability, compassion, honesty, dignity, equity, integrity and respect. I chose to enter a predominately altruistic workforce based on shared values, beliefs and principles. As a R.N., annual licensure is dependent upon adhering to competencies, standards of professional practice, and code of ethics outlined by the CRNM and the CNA. Rees & Monrouxe (2018) pose a valid question, if regulatory bodies were removed, would this alter your values? I’ve participated in 3 personality surveys over the last 10 years for various career opportunities; Not once was I surprised by the results. Therefore, having intimate knowledge of my core values ensures that my personal and professional identity remains intact regardless of oversight.
As a director, I work with a number of regulated and unregulated staff. I’m responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating operations for a number of specialty programs within my facility. I routinely work with front line staff, managers and medical staff to ensure patients receive timely access to care. I participate in site and regional initiatives related to policies, procedures, guidelines, and hold employees accountable is it relates to standards of practice, code of ethics and conduct. Since health care is a large portion of the provincial budget, it is my responsibility to maintain a balanced portfolio where possible. I participate in the development of site and regional education and coordinate site operations when required.
References
Brewington, J., & Godfrey, N. (2020). The professional identity in nursing initiative. The Research Journal of the National League for Nursing, 41(3), 201. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/neponline/Citation/2020/05000/The_Professional_Identity_in_Nursing_Initiative.21.aspx
Canadian Nurses Association. (2017). Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.cna-aiic.ca/-/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/code-of-ethics-2017-edition-secure-interactive.pdf
Clickner, D. A., & Shirey, M. R. (2013, April). Professional comportment: The missing element in nursing practice. In Nursing Forum, 48(2), 106-113. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/nuf.12014
College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba. (2018). Practice Direction: Practice Expectation for RNs. Retrieved Jan 28, 2021, from https://www.crnm.mb.ca/uploads/document/document_file_239.pdf
Joseph, M. L., Phillips, B. C., Edmonson, C., Godfrey, N., Liebig, D., Luparell, S., & Weybrew, K. (2020). The Nurse Leader’s Role: A Conduit for Professional Identity Formation and Sustainability. Nurse Leader, 19(1), 27-32. Retrieved from https://www.nurseleader.com/article/S1541-4612(20)30266-4/fulltext
Moorley, C., & Chinn, T. (2016). Developing nursing leadership in social media. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72(3), 514-520. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jan.12870
Rees, C. E., & Monrouxe, L. V. (2018). Who are you and who do you want to be? Key considerations in developing professional identities in medicine. Medical Journal of Australia, 209(5), 202-203.
Ross, P., & Cross, R. (2019). Rise of the e-Nurse: the power of social media in nursing. Contemporary Nurse, 55(2-3), 211-220. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2019.1641419
Comments