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Professionalism and Boundaries in the Use of Social Media

Course Content

1

Section 1: Overview and Relevance

  • 1.1 Why social media professionalism matters in Canadian healthcare

  • 1.2 The Canadian regulatory context

  • 1.3 How social media misconduct occurs in real practice

  • 1.4 Impact of social media behaviour on patients, practitioners, and the healthcare system

  • 1.5 Why this course is essential for healthcare professionals in Canada

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Section 2: Core Concepts and Definitions

  • 2.1 What is social media professionalism?

  • 2.2 Personal vs professional identity online

  • 2.3 Understanding confidentiality in digital spaces

  • 2.4 Boundaries and dual relationships online

  • 2.5 Public vs private social media spaces

  • 2.6 Misinformation and evidence-based communication

  • 2.7 Conflicts of interest on social media

  • 2.8 Cultural safety in digital communication

  • 2.9 Legal and organisational policies affecting social media use

  • 2.10 Digital footprints and online permanence

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Section 3: Regulatory Expectations

  • 3.1 The role of regulatory colleges in monitoring online conduct

  • 3.2 Confidentiality and privacy expectations

  • 3.3 Professionalism and respectful communication

  • 3.4 Boundaries and dual relationships in digital spaces

  • 3.5 Conflicts of interest and commercial activities online

  • 3.6 Public health communication and avoiding misinformation

  • 3.7 Cultural safety expectations in online behaviour

  • 3.8 Employer and institutional requirements

  • 3.9 Legal considerations in online conduct

  • 3.10 Professionalism in responding to online conflict, complaints, or misinformation

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Section 4: Challenges in Social Media Use

  • 4.1 Navigating blurred boundaries between personal and professional identities

  • 4.2 Protecting confidentiality in environments that feel informal

  • 4.3 Understanding the permanence and reach of digital content

  • 4.4 Managing emotional responses and online conflict

  • 4.5 Avoiding patient-clinician dual relationships online

  • 4.6 Ethical challenges in sharing health information publicly

  • 4.7 Managing conflicts of interest in online spaces

  • 4.8 Cultural safety challenges in online communication

  • 4.9 Handling online harassment, patient contact, or boundary violations

  • 4.10 Dealing with mistakes made online

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Section 6: Insight & Professional Growth

  • 6.1 Understanding insight in the context of social media use

  • 6.2 Developing high-quality reflective practice for online conduct

  • 6.3 Recognising human factors that influence online behaviour

  • 6.4 Strengthening emotional regulation in digital spaces

  • 6.5 Learning from feedback, complaints, and online mistakes

  • 6.6 Cultural humility and online professional growth

  • 6.7 Strengthening professional boundaries through reflection

  • 6.8 Continuous professional development in digital professionalism

  • 6.9 Seeking supervision and peer support for digital conduct

  • 6.10 Sustaining long-term professional growth in social media behaviour

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Section 7: Remediation & Preventing Recurrence

  • 7.1 Understanding the purpose of remediation in social media issues

  • 7.2 Conducting a root cause analysis (RCA) after a social media concern

  • 7.3 Designing a targeted remediation plan

  • 7.4 Improving communication habits to prevent online missteps

  • 7.5 Strengthening boundaries to avoid digital dual relationships

  • 7.6 Addressing cultural safety concerns in online behaviour

  • 7.7 Managing misinformation and public health risks

  • 7.8 Enhancing privacy protection and confidentiality awareness

  • 7.9 Using mentorship and peer review to support safer digital practice

  • 7.10 Demonstrating sustained improvement to employers and regulators

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Section 8: Applying Principles Daily

  • 8.1 Begin every online interaction with a professional mindset

  • 8.2 Maintain strict separation between personal and professional digital identities

  • 8.3 Protect confidentiality at all times in digital spaces

  • 8.4 Use respectful, evidence-based communication online

  • 8.5 Decline patient friend requests and maintain clear boundaries

  • 8.6 Apply cultural safety to all online interactions

  • 8.7 Avoid posting about work, colleagues, or institutions

  • 8.8 Use safe and professional alternatives for public education or advocacy

  • 8.9 Manage digital privacy settings and personal risk

  • 8.10 Routinely reflect on online activity and make adjustments