Monday, October 31, 2011

Online identity. Why midwives should care and how they can develop a professional online identity

 This is the presentation I gave at the 2011 Australian College of Midwives conference in Sydney about online identity. This presentation includes tips on how to develop a professional online identity.

There continues to be considerable concern amongst midwives about how they can use social media in a professional way that does not incur litigation or charges of disrepute. One of the examples of a professional blog is that of Rachel Reed (Midwife Thinking) who is a midwife, lecturer and PhD candidate in Australia. She manages to blog about clinical issues in a professional way, passing on information in an evidence-based manner, yet she keeps a personal feel to her writing.  She has also done a good job of marketing her "brand" and being consistent across all social media platforms so that when we see her particular logo, we know who she is and what we can expect from interacting with her.

What tips would you pass on to midwives or health professionals who want to dip their toes in the social media waters yet keep themselves professionally safe?


http://www.slideshare.net/sarahs/online-identity-what-midwives-should-care-and-what-they-can-do-about-it

3 comments:

starpath said...

Great post Sarah. Did you have any feedback from midwives regarding HOW they (individual practising midwives) can use SM tools to build communites and networks of practice?
I wonder what motivations there are for them embarking on this exercise?

Sarah Stewart said...

Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to discuss those questions. There was one midwife who wanted to set up a blog and use it to disseminate ante natal information as an add on to the clinic she ran at a hospital.

Anonymous said...

I'm a second year midwifery student, very interested in these issues, and have just started a blog aimed at people interested in becoming a midwife, and am writing an ebook. I have decided not to be afraid any more about going public! I am getting used to being 'out there', my subject matter is not currently controversial, but in future, I hope to become an independent midwife, and discuss more clinical issues!