Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Professionalism and Boundaries on Social Media

Online Conduct, Patient Privacy and Advertising Risks

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Your professional obligations follow you onto every platform, from a public Instagram account to a private group chat. This course explains how the National Law, the codes and Ahpra's social media guidance apply online and how to use social media without putting patients or your registration at risk.

The course starts with the rules that apply online, freedom of expression and when regulators act, and the hidden risks in platform features. It then focuses on patient privacy: indirect identification, clinical images and devices, privacy law and messaging apps, and responding to online reviews.

Boundaries lessons cover friend requests, follows and direct messages, overlapping lives in small communities and online harassment. Professional conduct lessons cover talking about colleagues and workplaces, misinformation and public health, and discrimination and cultural safety online.

Later sections examine advertising risks on social media (section 133 online, reviews and user-generated content, influencers and cosmetic content) and finish with a personal audit, professional account governance, using social media well and what to do when something goes wrong.

What you will learn

  • Explain how the National Law, codes and Ahpra guidance apply to professional and private accounts
  • Tell lawful personal expression apart from online conduct that attracts regulatory action
  • Avoid identifying patients indirectly through posts, photos and comments
  • Handle clinical images and messaging apps within privacy law
  • Reply to online reviews without breaching confidentiality
  • Keep boundaries with patients online and deal with unwanted contact
  • Post health information that is accurate and respectful, and steer clear of content that demeans any group
  • Recognise testimonials and product promotion risks and audit your online presence

Who this course is for

  • Practitioners with personal or professional social media accounts
  • Practitioners who post health information or opinion publicly
  • Practice owners and managers responsible for clinic accounts
  • Practitioners in small communities where online lives overlap
  • Practitioners responding to online reviews

How the course works

  1. Once you enrol, open the course from My Courses whenever it suits you. It runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.

  2. Read 20 lessons grouped into 6 sections. Each lesson unlocks when you finish the one before, and your progress is kept in your browser between visits.

  3. Pause on the worked scenarios and reflection prompts. Anything you type is kept in your course pack, which you can download in Word format or print to PDF.

  4. Complete the final assessment of 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 80% (12 of 15). Retakes are allowed.

  5. After the reflective account and feedback, the course is marked complete in your account and your certificate of completion becomes available. It states the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); log the time you actually spend.

Course content

7 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1The Rules That Apply Online3 lessons
  • Your Obligations Do Not Stop at the Screen
  • Freedom of Expression and When Regulators Act
  • Platforms, Features and Hidden Risks
2Protecting Patient Privacy Online4 lessons
  • Indirect Identification
  • Clinical Images, Consent and Devices
  • Privacy Law, Data Breaches and Messaging Apps
  • Responding to Online Reviews
3Professional Boundaries Online3 lessons
  • Friend Requests, Follows and Direct Messages
  • Small Communities and Overlapping Lives
  • Unwanted Contact and Online Harassment
4Professional Conduct, Colleagues and Public Debate3 lessons
  • Talking About Colleagues and Workplaces
  • Health Information, Misinformation and Public Health
  • Discrimination, Racism and Cultural Safety Online
5Advertising Risks on Social Media3 lessons
  • Section 133 and the Advertising Guidelines Online
  • Reviews, Patient Stories and User-Generated Content
  • Influencers, Product Promotion and Cosmetic Content
6Building a Safe Social Media Practice4 lessons
  • Personal Audit and Settings
  • Professional Accounts and Workplace Policies
  • Using Social Media Well
  • When Something Goes Wrong
7Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

Can I post about an interesting case if I remove the patient's name?

Often not. Patients can be identified by combinations of details such as location, timing, condition or images. The course explains how indirect identification happens and how to avoid it.

Someone left a harsh review. Can I respond?

Yes, carefully. Never confirm that the reviewer was a patient and never mention anything about their care. The course gives safe ways to respond.

Does Ahpra regulate what I post on a private account?

The codes apply to conduct that reflects on your profession, whether posted on a professional or personal account. The course explains where regulators draw the line.

Is clinic social media covered?

Yes. It covers advertising rules for clinic accounts, including testimonials, user-generated content and influencer arrangements.

How should I record this course in my CPD log?

Log the date, the course name and the time you actually spend; the certificate shows only the estimated learning time. Add two or three lines on what you will do differently, and file the certificate next to your reflective account.

Who runs this course?

Probity Courses, an education provider with no affiliation to Ahpra, the National Boards or any regulator. Your Board's own codes and guidelines always take precedence over course material.

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