• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Facebook foibles in a veterinary practice

November 1, 2012
Shawn G. McVey, MA, MSW

One of the technicians at our practice has made friends with a lot of the practice's clients on Facebook. The problem is, sometimes she posts personal comments about her politics and her activities that make me uncomfortable. As the practice manager, should I say anything?

One of the technicians at our practice has made friends with a lot of the practice's clients on Facebook. The problem is, sometimes she posts personal comments about her politics and her activities that make me uncomfortable. As the practice manager, should I say anything?

—FACEBOOK FRIEND

DEAR FRIEND:

Advertisement

Every progressive veterinary practice now has a social media presence, but the ability to reach so many people with ease also carries a few pitfalls—and a rogue employee can be one of them.

Not only does every practice need to develop a specific policy about the use of social media and then make the policy clear to employees, but your management should check with an attorney to understand what the legalities are in your home state about social media and employee freedom of speech. In many states, an employee is held to the exact same standards on social media as they would be if they were speaking publicly.

To keep the lines clear, I recommend that employees who want to chat with clients do so through the official practice Facebook page and only during work hours. If they're chatting through their personal page, it should be off hours and they should be cognizant of not defaming the hospital or saying anything unprofessional.

You have to say something to this employee and share practice policy. This isn't about how you feel, it's about sticking to practice policy. If you don't have a policy, it will be hard to have this discussion.

—SHAWN

Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, is a member of the Firstline and Veterinary Economics editorial advisory boards and is CEO of McVey Management Solutions in Chicago. For videos and articles containing more of McVey's tips and tricks on issues relating to veterinary personnel management, conflict, and communication, visit dvm360.com/mcvey.

Related Content:

Practice ManagerRoles
Hiring employees in line with your brand
Hiring employees in line with your brand
Merck Animal Hospital renews scholarship with The Foundation for the Horse
Merck Animal Hospital renews scholarship with The Foundation for the Horse
How to discuss finances with clients
How to discuss finances with clients

Advertisement

Latest News

3 Must-sees from the Fetch Charlotte conference

Morris Animal Foundation appoints new chief program officer

CDC issues warning over cat-transmitted sporotrichosis

An AI solution is speeding up insurance claims processing

View More Latest News
Advertisement