To be or not to be in the social media arena? The perspective of healthcare providers working within adolescent and young adult oncology in Switzerland

Abstract

BackgroundGiven that social media is quickly penetrating clinical practice, it is essential to explore how these technologies can be used to improve patient-centered care. This is particularly important for healthcare professionals caring for adolescents and young adults (AYA), amid whom the use of social media is nearly universal and whose medical and psychosocial needs are often underestimated by the pediatric or adult oncology settings in which they are treated.ObjectivesTo examine the perspectives of various medical professionals on the emerging role of social media in AYA oncology.MethodsThree focus groups were performed with Swiss healthcare professionals involved in the care of AYA patients with cancer. The focus groups were analyzed using thematic coding.ResultsHealthcare professionals caring for AYA cancer patients in Switzerland are reluctant to step into the social media sphere because they find it difficult to navigate professional boundaries in an unfamiliar space where different contexts collapse. Nurses and younger healthcare professionals who tend to have a more intimate relationship with AYA, often lack virtual mentorship to know how to maintain online professionalism. Adolescents and young adults cancer-related social media presence was unknown to our participants which resulted in missed occasions to inform, educate and care for this often underserved population of cancer patients.ConclusionsMore practical guidance is needed to help healthcare professionals with how to integrate social media into clinical practice. Setting up fruitful collaborations between medical institutions and existing AYA support groups online might be the best way forward.

Professional Boundaries in The Relationship Between Nurses and Patients in Healthcare Settings: A Scoping Review

“…In addition, according to the ANA, it is unprofessional for nurses to have more than a therapeutic relationship with their patients, especially with vulnerable patients (American Nurses Association (ANA), 2015). In line with this, in this scoping review several articles reveal various forms of excessive nurse-patient relationships (De Clercq et al, 2020;Erikson & Davies, 2017;Jones & Moyle, 2016;Martínez-Morato et al, 2021a;Petosa, 2018a;Pettman et al, 2020). This relationship is called a "dual relationship" (Reamer, 2012;Sawyer & Prescott, 2011).…”

“…The results of the reviews carried out related to the operational definition of professional boundaries based on nurses' understanding are the same as those described by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), and where professional boundaries are defined as boundaries or lines in the nursepatient relationship because there is a space or gap between the strengths of nurses and patient vulnerabilities. Limits or lines in interpersonal relationships between providers and recipients of care, in this case, nurses and patients, limit what is considered appropriate and inappropriate nurse behavior toward patients, and vice versa (De Clercq et al, 2020;Griffin et al, 2021;Peluchette et al, 2012;Pettman et al, 2020;Vatandost et al, 2020).…”

“…By setting these boundaries, nurses can protect the privacy of patients who are at risk of causing conflict in the therapeutic relationship, especially patients with trauma (De Clercq et al, 2020;Unhjem, Vatne, et al, 2018). According to nurses, this boundary also protects integrity and personal authority of nurses as nurses set professional boundaries to avoid emotional dangers that may arise as a reaction when a patient dies (Atout et al, 2019;Martínez-Morato et al, 2021b;Smythe et al, 2018b;Unhjem, Vatne, et al, 2018;Zugai et al, 2018).…”

“…For nurses, accepting or sending friend requests on social media is unprofessional because it can cross the line between professional and personal relationships (Griffin et al, 2021;Peluchette et al, 2012). However, there are nurses and health workers who are pro the use of social media where those who offer psycho-social care tend to share their personal social media to share information with patients, such as reminding patients (De Clercq et al, 2020).…”

Tracheostomy decision-making for children with medical complexity: What supports and resources do caregivers need?

“…When parents of children with rare diseases were surveyed, 78% shared information about what they learnt from the internet with their HCPs, but only 22% stated that their HCP was "very interested" in that information (Nicholl et al, 2017). HCPs may be reluctant to engage with parents through internet/social media for fear of violating professional boundaries (De Clercq et al, 2020). Parents of children with tracheostomy use social media for gaining knowledge and for getting medical advice (Huestis et al, 2020).…”