US Nursing Governing Bodies issue joint statement on duty of nurses not to disseminate misinformation

[Chomper Higgot]

Leading US nursing governing bodies have issued a joint statement on the duty of nurses to not disseminate COVID misinformation and on the possible consequences they face if they do so:

 

https://www.ncsbn.org/16370.htm

[Scott]

Thanks.  In general, in the area where I live, which is pretty conservative, I've been surprised at the large number of medical professionals that haven't been vaccinated.  I have had visits to my primary care provider and 3 specialists.  My primary care provider isn't vaccinated but she had Covid and still has antibodies -- she is going to 'wait and see'.  Of the 3 other people I saw there for a shot and other minor procedures weren't vaccinated but they said the majority of the staff were.  

 

It was about the same with a visit to the Cardiologist office.  I had an appointment with my Ophthalmologist and that was the only place where everyone was vaccinated, social distancing was adhered to and masks were required.   

Yesterday, I went to the Dentist, the dental assistant isn't vaccinated, but the Dentist is and I asked him about why there is so much hesitation among medical personnel.  He said a lot of medical personnel didn't agree with the quick emergency use operation and he didn't get vaccinated until it was fully approved. 

All my medical providers strongly supported vaccines for anyone at risk.  I didn't hear any misinformation but I have the sense that more work needs to be done to convince them, police and first responders that it's safe. 

[placeholder]

11 hours ago, Scott said:

Thanks.  In general, in the area where I live, which is pretty conservative, I've been surprised at the large number of medical professionals that haven't been vaccinated.  I have had visits to my primary care provider and 3 specialists.  My primary care provider isn't vaccinated but she had Covid and still has antibodies -- she is going to 'wait and see'.  Of the 3 other people I saw there for a shot and other minor procedures weren't vaccinated but they said the majority of the staff were.  

 

It was about the same with a visit to the Cardiologist office.  I had an appointment with my Ophthalmologist and that was the only place where everyone was vaccinated, social distancing was adhered to and masks were required.   

Yesterday, I went to the Dentist, the dental assistant isn't vaccinated, but the Dentist is and I asked him about why there is so much hesitation among medical personnel.  He said a lot of medical personnel didn't agree with the quick emergency use operation and he didn't get vaccinated until it was fully approved. 

All my medical providers strongly supported vaccines for anyone at risk.  I didn't hear any misinformation but I have the sense that more work needs to be done to convince them, police and first responders that it's safe. 

I think, you will find that most of these people politically skew towards the right. That is certainly the case with emergency responders such as police and firefighters. So you're going up against a group dynamic. And I don't know when you saw your dentist, but since it had been approved, clearly emergency authorization was not a factor in the continued resistance of health care workers to being vaccinated.

[Scott]

4 minutes ago, placeholder said:

I think, you will find that most of these people politically skew towards the right. That is certainly the case with emergency responders such as police and firefighters. So you're going up against a group dynamic. And I don't know when you saw your dentist, but since it had been approved, clearly emergency authorization was not a factor in the continued resistance of health care workers to being vaccinated.

I saw the dentist just a few days ago.  He is fully vaccinated now, but he waited for the full authorization.  He also somehow managed to get a breakthrough case and had just been cleared to return to work.  His breakthrough case was really mild, according to him and had they not been required to be tested, he said he was not sick enough to have missed work.   His recovery was also very fast, although I don't know how long he was out of work. 

He is quite glad he was vaccinated because they have had a fair number of people get Covid pre-vaccine and they all got very, very ill and had a slow recovery.  

I know that police and first responders in the area where I live not only skew right -- they are full-on right (interestingly enough, they aren't too strong on the idea of everyone having guns though).  

[Chomper Higgot]

13 hours ago, Scott said:

Thanks.  In general, in the area where I live, which is pretty conservative, I've been surprised at the large number of medical professionals that haven't been vaccinated.  I have had visits to my primary care provider and 3 specialists.  My primary care provider isn't vaccinated but she had Covid and still has antibodies -- she is going to 'wait and see'.  Of the 3 other people I saw there for a shot and other minor procedures weren't vaccinated but they said the majority of the staff were.  

 

It was about the same with a visit to the Cardiologist office.  I had an appointment with my Ophthalmologist and that was the only place where everyone was vaccinated, social distancing was adhered to and masks were required.   

Yesterday, I went to the Dentist, the dental assistant isn't vaccinated, but the Dentist is and I asked him about why there is so much hesitation among medical personnel.  He said a lot of medical personnel didn't agree with the quick emergency use operation and he didn't get vaccinated until it was fully approved. 

All my medical providers strongly supported vaccines for anyone at risk.  I didn't hear any misinformation but I have the sense that more work needs to be done to convince them, police and first responders that it's safe. 

There are two issues, firstly refusal or hesitation in accepting vaccination, itself problematic for a group of people whose profession brings them into direct contact with a disproportionate number of people suffering diseases and health conditions that leave them vulnerable to COVID.

 

The increased COVID risks from these diseases and health conditions is well documented, widely known and absolutely something health professionals refusing vaccines are aware of. 

 

The second, addressed by the joint statement, is the use of one’s standing as a nurse while willfully disseminating misinformation.

 

We frequent see references on this forum of anti-vaxxers posting misinformation that has at sometime been endorsed or claimed to have been endorsed by a health professional.

 

As I have argued before, the possession of medical training and qualifications does not protect against falling victim of misinformation. With millions of people only receiving news and current affairs opinion from rightwing and extreme rightwing sources it is to be expected that health professionals will be within that audience. Even more so when the links to political affiliation and religious beliefs are included.

 

However, a health professional is duty bound to use verifiable facts when offering their professional opinion.

 

The line of argument that starts ‘I’m nurse and.....’ immediately invokes professional standing and therefore is subject to professional regulation.

 

The joint statement makes this professional duty to not spread misinformation on any platform clear.

 

I’m not sure if the governing bodies for Doctors has done likewise, but it is past time they did.

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by Chomper Higgot

[placeholder]

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

There are two issues, firstly refusal or hesitation in accepting vaccination, itself problematic for a group of people whose profession brings them into direct contact with a disproportionate number of people suffering diseases and health conditions that leave them vulnerable to COVID.

 

The increased COVID risks from these diseases and health conditions is well documented, widely known and absolutely something health professionals refusing vaccines are aware of. 

 

The second, addressed by the joint statement, is the use of one’s standing as a nurse while willfully disseminating misinformation.

 

We frequent see references on this forum of anti-vaxxers posting misinformation that has at sometime been endorsed or claimed to have been endorsed by a health professional.

 

As I have argued before, the possession of medical training and qualifications does not protect against falling victim of misinformation. With millions of people only receiving news and current affairs opinion from rightwing and extreme rightwing sources it is to be expected that health professionals will be within that audience. Even more so when the links to political affiliation and religious beliefs are included.

 

However, a health professional is duty bound to use verifiable facts when offering their professional opinion.

 

The line of argument that starts ‘I’m nurse and.....’ immediately invokes professional standing and therefore is subject to professional regulation.

 

The joint statement makes this professional duty to not spread misinformation on any platform clear.

 

I’m not sure if the governing bodies for Doctors has done likewise, but it is past time they did.

 

 

 

Here's a joke that Jerry Seinfeld told about people always posting that their doctor was at the top of their class. But no one boasts about their doctor graduating the bottom of the class.

Just maybe, there's a correlation to be found.