Social media and professionalism: a retrospective content analysis of Fitness to Practise cases heard by the GDC concerning social media complaints

Abstract

Neville, P. (2017). Social media and professionalism: a retrospective content analysis of Fitness to Practice cases heard by the GDC concerning social media complaints. British Dental Journal, 223 (5) University of Bristol -Explore Bristol Research General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms Method: Documentary analysis of social media related FtP cases published on the GDC's website was undertaken. All cases that met the study's inclusion criteria were analysed using a quantitative content analysis framework.Findings: 2.4% of FtP cases published on the GDC website during that period were related to breaches of the social media guidelines. All of the cases investigated were proven and upheld. Most of those named in the complaints were dental nurses and the most common type of complaint was inappropriate Facebook comments.Conclusions: The low incidence rate should be interpreted with caution, being illustrative of the types of issues that might arise rather than the volume. The GDC will need to remain vigilant in this area and ensure that social media awareness training is an active part of CPD for all the dental team.In brief:1. This is the first study to investigate the incidence of social media Fitness to practice (FtP) cases investigated by the GDC since it established social media guidelines in 2013. 2. Documentary analysis of FtP cases from September 2013 to June 2016 revealed that 6 complaints in relation to social media were investigated. This represents 2.4% of FtP cases whose outcome were published by the GDC over that time period. Most of the complaints were made against dental nurses and the most common type of complaint was in relation to inappropriate Facebook comments. 3. While the current number of social media related FtP cases is very low, the nature of the complaints confirms that social media behaviour is a useful measure of (un)professionalism. Social media awareness training should be an integral part of undergraduate and CPD training.

Perceptions of e-professionalism among dental students: a UK dental school study

“…If this situation is not resolved, then students will begin to appear in the GDC's Fitness to practice cases. 21 More research will need to be undertaken to explore how we can inculcate eprofessional norms, values and behaviours so we can prepare the 21st century dentist. For all these reasons, it is important that social media becomes a mainstream element of the education of healthcare students.…”

“…13 14 In fact, there is an ongoing debate within the BDJ on the impact and significance of social media on dentistry and dental professionalism. [15][16][17][18][19][20][21] While a lot of research has been conducted on the online behaviours of medical and allied health professional students (see above), less has been undertaken on dental students, except for Kenny and Johnson 22 and Nason et al 23 Mindful of this gap in our knowledge, this research was conducted to explore the social media habits of dental students and their views on e-professionalism. Its aim was to determine whether students were aware of the standards set by the GDC regarding social media and whether they believed they were being professional in their online activities.…”

‘Male’ficence or ‘Miss’understandings?

“…Studies have found that healthcare students have used Facebook to breach patient confidentiality in various postings (Thompson 2010), engage in online relationships with patients (Nyangeni, du Rand, and van Rooyen 2015), and write disrespectful comments about colleagues and employers (Chretien, Greysen, Chretien, and Kind 2009;Hall, Hanna, and Huey 2013). Neville (2017b) found that most of the Fitness to Practise cases investigated and upheld by the General Dental Council over a three-year period in the UK involved Facebook posts. As a result, Facebook, as a participatory social networking site, provides an opportunity to explore how the norms, values, and behaviours of professionalism are interpreted and constructed by today's young healthcare professionals.…”

Conflicting demands that dental professionals experience when using social media

“…11 In addition, there have been disciplinary actions due to social media use. 12 Two dental nurses were reprimanded due to comments posted on encountered by dentists and DCPs when using social media and the approaches used to manage these conflicting demands. To address the aim the two questions considered were:…”