I work at a hospital and was caring for a patient. After they were discharged, I noticed they added me on Facebook. Can I accept their friend request?

No. Nurses and midwives must maintain professional boundaries with patients, even after the therapeutic relationship has ended. Accepting a patient’s friend request on social media can blur those boundaries and create risk around confidentiality, privacy and professionalism.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) codes of conduct and social media guidelines are clear: professional relationships should not extend into personal online spaces. Accepting a friend request from a patient can have serious professional ramifications for your registration, including complaints or disciplinary actions.

If you receive a request from a current or former patient, the safest course is to decline it.