David Goodheart, author of The road to somewhere, wrote that ‘personal experience is, of course, very important in shaping one's views,’ (Goodheart, 2020), and I doubt that many of us reading this would disagree. Your personal views and opinions are yours, they are as diverse as our political, social and religious beliefs.
In this digital age, a person's personal views can no longer be considered private when shared on any social media platform, and, as we have seen, there can be some serious consequences to sharing one's personal opinion on social media, from defamation claims to harassment and cyberbullying.
However, what of our professional views and where are we sharing these? One's professional opinion can be interlinked with and forged from our own personal perspective and beliefs. I would urge caution on sharing one's personal views online, but when coupled up with one's professional and personal beliefs, then beware, especially so when these views and opinions are subjective.
A subjective view is one made up of a person's beliefs, feelings and ideas—the exact opposite of an objective view, which is not based on personal feelings or opinion, but on facts. Here is a word of warning: never confuse personal opinion with professional fact. If you are sharing the two together, then also be aware of truth decay.
Sadly, this summer, we have borne witness to a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registrant and aesthetic nurse publicly and repeatedly sharing her personal opinions as a professional nurse, making many false claims about COVID-19 throughout the first lockdown. She gained national attention and occupied platforms, both online and offline. This nurse is now suspended from the NMC register after being dealt an interim suspension order (ISO) in July, and it is very likely that, following due process, she will be removed from the register.
Reflect for a moment on one of your own personal opinions: how were you influenced to form that view? Was it from a conversation with a friend? Did you read a comment posted in an aesthetic forum on Facebook that said one toxin does not last as long as another? Or, did you acquire your view after reading, critically evaluating and analysing the available evidence and data? When was the last time that you tested a long-held belief or opinion? Has your view been reinforced, or have you subsequently changed it?
Over the years, I have changed my opinion on a variety of things, both personally and professionally; as a result, I rarely give an opinion unless asked for one by the courts. As an expert witness, we are asked to give our perspective to the judge. In this scenario, I share my own personal belief, alongside that of other practitioners and the general public, which I may not agree with. In this way, I provide a balanced overview.
Let us reflect on what the Code says about this:
‘Always practise in line with the best available evidence. As a nurse, midwife or nursing associate, you have a responsibility to ensure that any information or advice that you provide via social media is evidence-based and correct to the best of your knowledge … you should avoid making general comments that could be considered inaccurate.’
Stay objective, stay safe, and let us look forward to the possibility of a post-pandemic 2021.