Constitution Day: Social Networking & Professional Ethics

This Constitution Day event will present a literature review of social media, its origins and pitfalls, and its impact on students based on first-hand experiences. The presenters will share their adventures with social media and discuss the ethical and behavioral dilemmas it presents. The goal of the workshop is to bring awareness to health care students in the use and misuse of social media and health education. 

Participants will learn to:
1.    Understand the range of social media and its impact on students and faculty.
2.    Understand the pitfalls and benefits of social media usage.
3.    Develop awareness based on the experiences of student presenters.
4.    Learn strategies for managing social media sites.

Constitution Day Follow up: Added September 21, 2010

Constitution Day was recognized by UNE’s Westbrook College of Health Professions and College of Pharmacy on Wednesday September 15th, 2010.  Consistent with the mission of both colleges, the topic reflected upon the rights and responsibilities of health care workers and patients in the electronic age. Presenters for the topic included Jane Walsh, RDH, Esq., Associate Clinical Professor of Dental Hygiene, and three students from the Nurse Anesthesia program, Brian Barlag, Michael Pfeifer and Tyler Yeager.  Legal and ethical uses of patient information on social networks were discussed as were the limits and appropriateness of online professional behavior. Students and faculty across professions engaged in meaningful discussion about patient rights, professional conduct, and the boundaries of personal freedom. Evaluations of the event indicate that students feel the topic is extremely important to their future as health care practitioners.