Yes, I know I haven’t done anything original here for several days. I have several things circulating in my spleen, but…
I’ve always engaged in a certain amount of self-censorship. I don’t type like I speak, because the sailor-words really don’t belong here. There are lots of interpersonal issues that I let go instead of rant about because, well, they’re just picayune.
Then GeekNurse gets "Management-concern-itis" and goes off the blogs, and all of a sudden my self-censorship level has increased substantially. True, I’m not a direct employee of anyone, and that makes it easier, not harder, to do without my services. I thought GeekNurse did a terrific job of keeping secrets that matter while letting regular people see what a good job his hospital did, and when I apply that same set of standards here I wind up with a similar mindset. That same one that just closed down.
No, I haven’t been talked-to about my blog or its contents, and this is probably paranoia that will pass.
But for now my spleen hurts.
I think a huge reason as to why I do not post much anymore (even less than usual, which was only 1-2 times per month as it was!) is because my boss and most of my coworkers know and read my blog. I’m not afraid of getting fired or being asked to take the blog down.. there’s just something
about knowing that people I work with reading it that just irks me.
Hope your paranoia passes soon.
Last summer a family member came across my blog & a gigantic kerfuffle ensued. It was ugly, with threats of litigation. The family member paid someone to read and print out every single post (2000+).
I took down every danged post the family member objected to, and edited quite a few others.
I have since started a second anonymous–double secret probation–blog with the objectionable posts, minus identifying data, added back.
I’ve changed how I blog at the original blog to a certain extent.
But having the double secret blog lets me blow off steam, even if the readership is a fraction of my main blog.
It does do something when some people find your BLOG. I’ve decided the internet is not the place to use your true identity or make yourself obvious. I had created my BLOG as a way to blow off steam but the very people I was blowing about had no trouble finding me.
Grunt Doc. I have read you since you first started blogging. My opinion is that you are the best medical blogger there is. I said that about you 2 years ago, and even with so many new medical bloggers, you are still number one. If you go then I just won’t know what to think about it. How could anyone ever find even one thing in your posts that would make them want to make you take it down?
The internet is available to anyone and everyone, and if you identify yourself, you have to be ready to reap the consequences. I think you either need to be totally anonymous or totally open, about your identity, that is. Once you’re totally open about your identity, you need to always keep in mind that anyone can read what you write, and write accordingly.
Obviously, I decided on the latter.
Just imagine the whole world (including your boss and your blacklisted relatives) reading over your shoulder as you type. That’ll keep you in line!
If you need to be able to spew willy nilly, I suggest you do it in a private journal and not on the public internet.
Peg
Knowing the real Gruntdoc, I am constantly amazed at your self control. Keep up the good work
If you get the rant started, we will try to keep it going anonymously
I figure since I have almost 30 years of background and have worked at seven different facilities, I can make my composites so composited that no one can figure them out.
I freely tell my co-workers and boss about the blog, some of them read it. Since it is basically about what it is like to
BE a ER nurse and not so much where I do it, it hasn’t seemed to be a problem.
Although, I have to tell you, it took me a few days to get over losing “Geek Nurse”.
You are not giving out any information that is patient sensitive. I think what you are doing is great! Most of the people here reading are most likely doctors, nurses and other professionals. I hope your spleen gets better soon!
Allen,
I thought I did a pretty good job of keeping things confidential too. I could have tried harder to keep GeekNurse open, but that would have led to an awful lot of contention on the unit and I don’t believe we can afford that. I want my colleagues to trust me, and I guess some of them don’t.
I never once said anything negative about the people I work with. I don’t even recall saying anything negative about patients or families. I don’t know many blogs that keep to those standards, so many are filled with invective and whining. The point was to explore the experience of paediatric intensive care, for patients, families, professionals, the public. It was never treated as an opportunity for me to rant. I thought I was being so careful, so respectful…
…but, in the end, it wasn’t enough.
So I understand your reticence, because it’s hard to lose something you put your heart and soul into.
Someone, I hear, has registered the domain name cricoidpressure.com. I have no personal knowledge of its intended use, but it seems like it might be worth checking out over the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Rich.
Rich,
Thanks for the explanation, and, I’m looking forward to checking out the new URL, not expecting to meet you there, of course.
I’m looking forward to checking it out too. :)
My levels of paranoia about being told to shut down varies. It’s one of the reasons I’ve been ranting less in recent months. The other reason being that I’ve been getting a little more sleep, which always helps my disposition.
GeekNurse was truly a polite and appropriate blog; I can’t say that mine is the same and that thought does give me reason to pause.