Question

A nursing student has established a strong therapeutic rapport with a patient who was admitted to the hospital with a perforated appendix. The patient is similar in age to the student and is interested in a career in nursing. Before being discharged, the patient asks if she can add the student as a contact on a social networking site in order to ask her more questions about nursing. How should the student respond to the patient's request?

a. Explain why she cannot fulfill the patient's request but offer to meet her in person to answer questions about nursing school.
b. Explain why nursing ethics does not allow online contact between nurses and patients.
c. Explain that nurses are not permitted to have social contact with patients but offer to answer questions before the patient is discharged.
d. Offer to answer the patient's questions by e-mail rather than through contact on a social networking site.

Answer 1

The nursing student should explain that nurses should not have social contact with patients outside of professional boundaries and offer to answer any additional questions before the patient's discharge, thus maintaining medical professionalism and ethics.

Step-by-step explanation:

In response to the patient's request, the nursing student should choose option c: Explain that nurses are not permitted to have social contact with patients but offer to answer questions before the patient is discharged. This response adheres to professional boundaries and nursing ethics, which typically discourage personal relationships with patients that may compromise professional judgment or patient care. Even though social media can be an easy way to stay in touch and share information, it is important to maintain professionalism and the integrity of the nurse-patient relationship.