Can social media and professionalism coexist?

Up until a month ago, I was reluctant to post nutrition-related info on social media for fear of compromising my professional integrity. Since then, I have been reflecting on why I am cautious about anything I post online. I typically use social media for the ability to connect to friends and family who are not close by and who I have not been able to see face to face during the pandemic. I do not typically post anything controversial, political or work-related and use the online space for enjoyment. I am conscious of how my behaviour online may have impact on others and feel a sense of fear of doing something that may be viewed as ‘wrong’ by my college or fellow dietitians.

I did not grow up using social media and certainly it was not a part of my career development as a Registered Dietitian (RD) in Ontario. My sense of professionalism was developed early on in my career while I was an undergraduate student by my interactions with professors and dietitians who I volunteered with. They helped to set the stage for me on professionalism through their storytelling which allowed me to become socialized to the profession of dietetics through their experiences in the field (Melrose, et al. 2015). Social media was not commonplace at the time. Perhaps today the stories that are told to undergraduate students during lectures by RD professors include context with social media that would normalize it as part of dietetic practice. Newer dietitians may not struggle with use of social media the same way I do.

Perhaps this is the missing link to why I have a hard time figuring out how to balance posting online. The College of Dietitians of Ontario (CDO) acknowledges that there may be benefit for dietitians to utilize social media, especially since dietitians are valued as experts in nutrition and our goal is to ensure the public has access to safe, reliable nutrition information (Cohen, 2013). Denying the use of social media to optimize nutrition information delivery may limit my profession in a way I had not considered in the past out of my own personal fear.

I have been exploring how my role as a dietitian fits into the healthcare system. As an RD, I am bound by the ethics and standards set out by the CDO. For me, the code of ethics is closely tied to my sense of professionalism which I have discovered plays a pivotal role in my social media posting. It brings to light the acknowledgement that professional and personal lines are blurry (Garus & Willems, 2019) (Chretien & Tuck, 2015). I recognize that those who see and read my posts have the awareness that I am an RD is far more on my radar than I had realized. As a professional, I have an obligation to make sure my actions online and in person are reflective of my professional and personal values. Thereby I can always maintain deliberate and accountable practice online and in person recognizing the RD position of public trust to inform in an ethical and evidence-based manner (Gurus & Willems, 2019).

I place a high value on professionalism and feel heightened expectations from friends and colleagues when it comes to my online presence due to my profession. After further consideration, I appreciate I need to adjust my perception and have confidence in my actions knowing that I am guided by beneficence and non-maleficence (College of Dietitians of Ontario, 2019). My understanding of digital professionalism is growing as I embark upon a return to the academic world. This has allowed me to consider a shift in my perception of the integrity involved in the use of social media. I will continue to maintain ethical and accountable practice but hopefully can evolve my thinking to reduce the sense of fear by increasing my knowledge to expand my digital competence (Ellaway, H et al, 2015). I am jumping into the world of Twitter to demonstrate that social media and professionalism can live in harmony. Join me on my journey @TarczaT.

References:

Chretien, K. & Tuck, M. (2015). Online professionalism: A synthetic review. Int Rev Psychiatry. A27 (2):106-17 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/09540261.2015.1004305

Cohen, D. (2013). Social Media use in Dietetic Practice (Resume page 10-13) https://www.collegeofdietitians.org/resources/professional-practice/socia

media/social-media-and-dietetic-practice-(2013).aspx

College of Dietitians of Ontario (CDO). (2019). Code of Ethics. https://www.collegeofdietitians.org/jurisprudence-professional-practice- resources/code-of-ethics.aspx

Ellaway, R., Coral, J., Topps, D., & Topps, M. (2015, June 01). Emerging issues in Professionalism. Medical Teacher, 37 (9), 844-849. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2015.1044956

Garus, J. & Willems, M. (2019) In-line with Online: Professionalism, Privacy, and Practice in the Age of Social Media. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from Dietitians of Canada Learning Management system

Melrose, S. Park, C., & Perry, B. (2015, August). Creative Clinical Teaching in the Health Professions. Chapter 4, Professional Socialization of Health Care Professionals. Pressbooks. https://clinicalteaching.pressbooks.com/?s=chapter+4