The age of social media has made being a student midwife interesting in ways that students of the past have not experienced.
As a student midwife you have to be careful what you post on social media. Many preceptors are still navigating what their social media policies are for their students. On the other side, students are figuring out what is not okay, sometimes too late.
1. Always get permission
Get permission from your preceptor to post anything related to their business, their clients, your time with her/them and words said to you by your preceptor and the client.
Example – Do not take a photo with the client or of the client and post without the client’s permission AND your preceptor’s. Don’t post about how you did this and that, went to a birth, had a clinic day, etc. with your preceptor without permission.
You do not have to get this permission every time if your preceptor has told you they are okay with you posting about them and their business. If you think she might have a problem with a post, ask her if it is okay, even if you didn’t ask about the last 30 posts you made.
If your preceptor says you can, tag their social media handles in your posts. You’ll help them get business from the added exposure and you get more exposure as well.
Some preceptors do not let you post on social media about your time with them at all. Respect it. See point 5.
Related – Questions to ask your prospective preceptor
2. Client Privacy
This goes with the point above but do not give out details about clients on social media. This includes talking about a client you currently have and a situation you are in. This is a HIPPA violation and privacy thing, not just a student thing.
Example – We have a client who is a second time mom who is struggling with anorexia. What can we do for her to help? We’ve tried x, y, z and have had no luck.
Instead you ask – What have you done or heard will help a pregnant person who is struggling with anorexia in pregnancy?
3. Be careful what you say online
Everyone is watching. What you say will always get around to the person that you are talking about. At least be smart enough not to have it in writing.
Think about your words. Your words may be inappropriate, might advertise you falsely as a midwife or be in poor taste.
Example – My preceptor did this and that and I do not agree with it. What should I do?
First, ask some trusted people, not a group on the internet. See what their advice for you is. Ask the course coordinator at your school if you have one.
Second, if you are complaining about a client to someone outside of midwifery, another student/midwife who knows this person or you may think that their lips are sealed but that’s not always the case. We are a chatty society and love taking screen shots. Talking is better in person, trust me.
Or their mutual friend comes and tells you something that the client said online that is not pregnancy safe, etc. DO NOT ENGAGE. Please. Let them know that you do not discuss clients online or say nothing and move on. Do not discuss this client with them.
Find a person or two that you trust to vent to and keep it small. Or even think about seeing a therapist for all things midwifery related. You have to take care of you too and we all know this job takes a toll on us.
4. Do not friend clients on social media
Unless your preceptor says that you may AND your school allows it, don’t do it at all or until they have had their baby. Some schools have a strict policy on this. You should know if they do or not.
Honestly, it is always easier to not be friends. That way they are less tempted to message you instead of your preceptor and you do not see if they complain about something pregnancy related and feel you have to respond.
Easy thing to say if clients ask to friend you is that your school does not allow you to friend clients.
Tip – if you are allowed to friend clients, there is a setting on facebook where you can add them to a restricted or acquaintance list so you can choose what posts of yours they see.
No matter what, do not answer client questions on social media.
Direct the questions to your preceptor or start the conversation in your preceptor’s agreed upon mode of communication.
5. Posting outside of apprenticing
If your preceptor does not like for you to post anything about your apprenticeship you can still post about your academics, educational things about birth and pregnancy, all the things outside of apprenticing.
No one has to know what midwife you work with or that you were at a birth last night. Just leave everything apprentice out of your social media.
6. People are watching
Do not post about getting wasted, drunk, high, etc. Be classy. Clients do not want to worry about you coming to their birth drunk or show up hung over during their appointment.
Everything that you post online, in a group chat, in a PM, in your text messages is FOREVER. A screen shot can be taken 1 second after you post. Remember that. Even if you delete something that you said it is not gone forever.
Do not buy likes
The likes come from all over the world and they are not your target audience. You want your audience to be people who will use your services. Not some 68 year old male in India. Buying likes can help your following grow fast but you’ll be posting for nothing and gaining little or no business from it.
Be genuine
I hope some of these tips help keep your time as an apprentice midwife safe. Social media is a powerful tool and what you say and post online can grow your business or it can ruin it and your reputation as a student before you even get started.
Keep a watch out for the next social media post on how to use social media to your advantage. You won’t want to miss it!
