Professionalism In A Digital World

Midwifery as a profession is under constant scrutiny by the medical community. This adds an extra layer of importance for a midwife to maintain a professional presence in the world both in person and on line. Being a professional while utilizing social media can at times be difficult to navigate. It has been my preference to maintain a low profile online to avoid the many pitfalls associated with social media however, as the world becomes increasingly more digital it becomes more and more important to achieve and maintain a professional image online. For my midwifery practice, Born Naturally Midwifery, we have had a website for many years. 4 years ago I added a Facebook page as a way to promote midwifery and engage our clientele. I recently also started an Instagram page to continue to expand my online presence and reach a broader audience. It is imperative that anything posted to these accounts as well as my personal accounts (because nothing online is private!) be professional, are not offensive, do not contain profanity, and do not take a turn for the political or controversial. Part of maintaining a professional image is demonstrating integrity and social media does provide this opportunity if one proceeds with caution. I try to use my professional and personal social media accounts to promote midwifery in a positive way, to post evidence based content while injecting a bit of my own personality into the equation.

We tend to hold those responsible for our health and well being to higher standard and so we should. As a midwife living and working in a small town I am keenly aware that whether or not I am at work makes very little difference into how I conduct myself in my day to day interactions. If I am not seen as trustworthy and competent in any aspect of my life, the chance of this crossing over and have unintended and negative consequences is very real. I am also representing the profession of midwifery and I strive to dispel the myths associated with midwifery by maintaining a professional but approachable image in my community.