If you are studying for a career in health, medicine or social care professions e.g. as a doctor, nurse, or surgeon, etc. – please check if there are guidelines on using social media in your profession.
Some common misunderstandings include:
- what you and others say online – stays online – even in personal spaces!
- if content is deleted it cannot be recovered (it does live on a server somewhere, or has already been shared/retweeted/posted)
- even if you think you are not naming an individual e.g. a patient/client, if there is any identifiable information – this is still a breach of confidentiality
New! Code of conduct – Nursing and Midwifery Council (31 March 2015)
- General Medical Council – Doctors’ use of social media (PDF)
- Royal College of General Practitioners social media highway code
- NHS Employers – Social Media Guidelines
- Royal College of Nursing
- Nursing and Midwifery Council
- The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) – Social Media Policy
- British Medical Association (BMA) – Social Media Guidance (PDF)
- Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) – Using social media (PDF)
Further information about managing your digital footprint can be found www.ed.ac.uk/iad/digitalfootprint or follow us on Facebook or Twitter
Managing Your Digital Footprint 