Harj follows the public Instagram account of a nursing colleague, Kim. At the end of a recent shift, Kim made a post about her shift that included details about a client she had cared for. The post identified the client’s gender and included a derogatory comment about their physical appearance.
Harj was certain that other colleagues would be able to identify the client, and as Kim’s profile listed her occupation and location (a small town), Harj believed that members of the public might also be able to. Harj believed the post was a breach of privacy, disrespectful to the client, and unprofessional. Believing the best way to resolve the situation was to speak directly with Kim, Harj shared her concerns with her. Kim agreed that she crossed the line, deleted the post and promised to be more thoughtful in the future.
Two weeks later, Harj noticed a new Instagram post by Kim, with detailed, disrespectful comments about two other clients indicating that she disagreed with some of their lifestyle choices. Concerned that Kim’s posts could have a direct and negative impact on clients and the public’s trust in nursing, Harj believed she had a responsibility to act. She took screenshots of the posts and emailed them to her manager, outlining her concerns and her previous conversation with Kim. After a workplace investigation, the manager reported Kim’s conduct to the college.