Inside look at my professional identity and where I want to take it.
Technology continuously shifts and redefines the world as we know it. Nowadays, the internet and social media play a big role in consumer information. People are instantaneously able to access news and information regarding health. Social media has improved the accessibility to health information for patients (Lee Ventola, 2014, p.495). Society has embraced the use of the internet and social media over consulting a health care provider for health concerns now. In the United States, it was found that 8 in 10 internet users search for health information with 74% of theses people using some form of social media (Lee Ventola, 2014, p.495). The advancements in the internet and social media have greatly improved patient care, public education, professional and patient networking. However, the spread of misinformation and poor quality of information, damage to professional identity and breach of patient privacy are some of the main downfalls of the internet and social media (Ventola, 2014, p.495-496). Social media is a create tool for sharing information however there is a lot of misinformation too. Health information found on social media and other online sources often lack quality and reliability (Lee Ventola, 2014, p.496). The spread of misinformation can lead to public mistrust and outrage. This has especially been seen with Covid-19 and vaccine mandates. Furthermore, science and health are always evolving. Some of the information at the beginning of the pandemic are no longer valid. If one does not keep up with current information there is a possibility to spread information that is no longer valid. As a health care provider posting on social media comes with associated professional risk. Social media gives insight into a person’s personality, values, and priorities. The impression generated by this content can be lasting (Lee Ventola, 2014, p.496). Unprofessional and controversial content/posts damage not only your own professional image but also your professions. As a result, health care providers are held to a higher standard. A recent example of this is when Carolyn Strom a Registered Nurse was found guilty of professional misconduct for comments she made on her Facebook account in 2015. A committee of the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association noted that people who reference their credentials must follow the codes of their profession (CBC, 2016). Similarly, the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapist (CSRT) expect RTs to avoid any activity that creates a conflict of interest or violates any local, provincial or federal laws and regulations (CSRT, 2020). An individual’s social media presence can affect their professional identity.
Professional identity is defined as the attitudes, values, knowledge, beliefs and skills shared with others within a professional group (Matthews et al, 2019). Personally compassion, communication, quality patient care, advocacy for my patients, best evidence-based practice and hard work are just a few values that I professionally value. Additionally, professional identity is considered dynamic and starts during an individual’s university study and continues on throughout their health care career. My experiences in practice and professional socialisation as a Respiratory Therapist (RT) defines a large part of my professional identity. Many of my colleagues also play an instrumental role in developing my professional identity. I find myself modelling after senior staff that I respect and admire. In today’s age, social media has become a new emerging aspect of an individual’s professional identity. For myself social media has remained a quiet and distanced aspect of my professional identity.
Working in a hospital is a huge part of my professional identity. Majority of the tasks I am assigned are considered “medically necessary”. As a result, I am directly aligned with the wording found in the Canadian Health Act (CHA). Under CHA of 1984, coverage is limited to “medically necessary” hospital and physician services (Flood and Thomas, 2016, p.398). A huge proportion of the patient population I deal with as a RT are acutely ill and need life-saving interventions. These patients require my best and need me to advocate on their behave. However, I have come to realize that advocacy is not limited to just my patients in the hospital. By establishing a stronger professional social media presence, I can advocate not only for British Columbians but all Canadians. Thanks to social media everyone has a voice that can be heard and the capability to interact with a large audience. As a health care professional, I have a responsibility and obligation to promote and correct information regarding health with respects to the code of ethics set forth by the CSRT. This website blog is the first step in this endeavor.
References:
Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists. (2020). CSRT Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct for Respiratory Therapists. Retrieved January 14, 2022 from https://www.csrt.com/
Flood, C.M, & Thomas, B. (2016). Modernizing the Canada Health Act. Dalhousie Law Journal, 39(2), 398-411. http://charon.athabascau.ca/cnhsgrad/mhst601_w2018/unit2.htm
Lee Ventola, C. (2014). Social Media and Health Care Professionals: Benefits, Risks, and Best Practices. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 39 (7), 491-520. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4103576/pdf/ptj3907491.pdf
Matthews, J, Bialocerkowski, A & Molineux, M. (2019). Professional identity measures for student health professionals – a systematic review of psychometric properties. BMC Med Educ, 19.
CBC News. (2016). Nurse who “vented” online found guilty of professional misconduct. CBC. Retrieved January 29, 2022 from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/srna-discipline-social-media-nurse-saskatchewan-1.3880351
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