Why nurses google their patients – and could it spell trouble?

The ethical implications of patient-targeted googling, including potential breach of confidentiality, and what the NMC says about accessing information online

• Patient-targeted googling is common and it can be used to inform care decisions or provide follow-up information after an episode of care
• Although information found by googling someone is in the public domain, it could be seen as a breach of trust that goes against the NMC code and could even end up in a fitness to practise case
• Nurses should be aware of their intentions and avoid undermining the nurse-patient relationship until standardised policies on googling are in place

Have you ever searched online for details about a patient in your care?