Nurses' freedom of expression: Rights, obligations and responsibilities

Area of Science:

• Nursing Ethics
• Media Studies
• Professional Conduct

Background:

• Freedom of expression is a democratic right, yet complex for nurses in media interactions.
• Nurses' media use can promote health, influence policy, but also lead to unprofessional conduct and dismissal.
• Increased social media use presents challenges for professional nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the ethical, legal, professional, and institutional challenges nurses face with traditional, mass, and social media.
• To stimulate debate on the need for enhanced professional guidance for nurses in media interactions.
• To highlight the gap in current professional guidelines for nurses' media engagement.

Main Methods:

• Commentary and analysis of existing nursing codes and professional guidelines.
• Identification of common conflicts arising from nurses' media use.
• Review of ethical, legal, and professional implications of nurses' media interactions.

Main Results:

• Conflicts often stem from privacy breaches, inappropriate social media interactions, or lack of guidance.
• Existing nursing codes require more specific guidelines for mass and social media use.
• Ambiguity exists regarding professional engagement with various media platforms.

Conclusions:

• Nurses require comprehensive professional guidance for effective and ethical media utilization.
• Clear frameworks are needed to support nurses in navigating media interactions and avoiding unprofessional conduct.
• Disseminating clear guidelines will protect both nurses' and patients' rights in the digital age.