Why would a patient want to create a blog? What might they gain from this?
A patient could use a blog for a variety of purposes. One would be as a way to share personal experiences they are having with a particular issue- almost like a therapeutic journal of sorts that could help with coping and provide a forum for expression. Doing this also could place the individual in a community of others who are going through a similar problem or condition, linking them with a support system that provides support and information. I know of a burn victim who started blogging as a means of dealing with her struggles; not only has this website helped her in her condition, but it has also inspired millions around the world struggling with the same disability and provided a forum of information transfer/sharing and support. It also provides a way for a practitioner to see how their patients really feel and what they are really experiencing, providing greater insight that could be used to better care for the patient. It can also be a means for updating family and friends about your condition, rather than having to repeat yourself a million times about what is happening. Really, the opportunity that blogging provide are endless.
-Why would a health care provider create a blog?
I think a blog would be a very effective marketing and education tool. In marketing, a practitioner could use this forum to present his philosophy, mission, values, goals, ambitions, and activities. He/she could tell people about themselves, allowing persons to get a better understanding of who they are and the principles they practice on. A blog could also be a means for interdisciplinary collaboration, a way to network among professionals. It could also be a way to disseminate educational information to patients, including the latest information on a variety of conditions and diseases, technological break-throughs, and so forth. It could be a place where the practitioner can answer frequently asked questions, show what is happening in the office, what is going on in health care, link patients with ways they can be active in their health care, provide links to health care legislation and how to be active in such activities, provide office information- again the possibilities are endless.
-What are ethical considerations when blogging on a public website, such as we've used for this class?
In blogging on a public website, we must understand that the information that we reveal is exactly that- public; everyone can read it, see it, use it, etc. We must also understand that once we put it up, it is out there forever; thus we must think critically about everything we say and do before we put it on the website because it is permanent. 2 comments that really struck me about how important this is were in the article on Ethics in informatics. The first was the comment the author made on the ability of technology to make more information, more available, faster than ever and with very little effort. The author also commented that this information “spreads farther faster,” that it “compresses time but dramatically increases the impact of error”(Curtin, 2005, p. 349)- with this in mind, imagine what could happen if we presented erroneous information; in our field especially it literally could have deadly effects. We must also consider all the potential implications, intended and unintended, that could come from something we post; we must also be ready to accept the consequences of that choice. As Curtin (2005) also said, we have freedom of choice, but not freedom from the responsibility of that choice. We also need to make sure that, although blogs are an informal communication method, we need to avoid plagiarizing, properly citing all information presented. Ethics also surround our presentation of values. It is okay to have values- we all have them; but we should present them in a way that is considerate of others values, is non-discriminatory, kind, and professional. Our ability to do so will determine our professional success. For example, what if you have a personal value against gay marriage- if you present your value in a hurtful, judgmental, spiteful way, this could impact your ability to effectively care for and provide care to this population; plus, you have severely damaged the trust and relationship between you and a patient who is gay. Thus, although we may have our personal opinions and values, we need to be ethical on how we present them and the activities we choose to engage in. We also need to be careful in the way that we present this information because not everyone who accesses the internet possesses skills in critical thinking and discernment- thus information we provide could lead them to act or think in inappropriate ways based on that information. We also need to be cognizant of the principles of privacy and the importance of protecting certain information. Like the podcast stated, we need to be “careful and cautious,” but we must also embrace it as a means for enhancing and transforming health care delivery.
References
Curtin, L.L. (2005). Ethics in informatics: The intersection of nursing, ethics, and information technology. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 29(4), 349 – 352.
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