NETIQUETTE RULES AND GUIDELINES
REPORTER 1:
ETIQUETTE VS NETIQUETTE
●​ By definition, etiquette is "the customary code of polite behavior in society or among
members of a particular profession or group." In the online environment, netiquette, or
Internet etiquette, is a way of defining professionalism through network communication
(Mintu-Wimsatt, Kernek & Lozada 2010).
REPORTER 2:
NETIQUETTE
●​ "Netiquette", or network etiquette, is the code of common courtesy for users of the
Internet.
●​ One should always use this courtesy when participating in e-mail communications,
discussions, chat rooms, blogs, and all other types of computer communication.
●​ Internet users should learn the rules of proper netiquette to avoid offending others with
violations of courteous​
Internet communication.
●​ Netiquette rules may vary slightly when one is engaging in personal communications
with a close friend, or whether this individual is composing a professional electronic
communication to be viewed by others at work.
●​ Nurses engaging in professional electronic communications with other healthcare
professionals and/or patients should learn and understand this form of etiquette.
REPORTER 3:
WHY SHOULD NURSES USE “NETIQUETTE”?
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Nurses are in an occupation where a strict code of professional conduct is important for
both the nurse and the profession as a whole.
In order to advance the nursing profession and promote nurses as professionals, these
health care workers should engage in a professional manner in all methods of action and
communication.
One area of particular importance is electronic communication via the Internet, Intranet,
or organizational electronic mail.
When one uses this method of communication, he or she may forget to use the
traditional grammar, punctuation, and simple etiquette rules established for more
traditional means of interaction.
In this manner, the idea of "netiquette" provides individuals, such as working
professionals, with a standard of etiquette that is specifically designed for the electronic
communication methods used by numerous individuals today.
REPORTER 4:
THE STANDARDS OF NETIQUETTE
●​ Some of the standards for basic netiquette include thinking and revising before
posting an electronic communication.
●​ One should always check a document for spelling and grammatical errors before
sending.
●​ One should never assume that any communication sent from a work computer is
private.
●​ It is important to note that netiquette rules apply not only to communication via
computer.
REPORTER 5:
DON’Ts OF “NETIQUETTE”
●​ Never send an e-mail or communicate when angry. One should always review the
message when he or she is calm.
●​ Never use profanity in an electronic communication.
●​ Never send lengthy multiple attachments for the reader to review. Keep electronic
messages short, to the point, and on subject.
●​ Never use all caps in electronic communication. Capital letters may be interpreted as
shouting.
●​ Never forward chain letters and chain mail in electronic communications. When
forwarding electronic messages, one should either When forwarding electronic
messages, one should either delete all previous email addresses to protect the privacy
of others or ask the original sender if forwarding is appropriate.
REPORTER 6:
COMMON “NET-SPEAK” TERMS
Nurses should avoid using the following common "net-speak" abbreviations in their professional
electronic communications because one who is not familiar with these abbreviations may
misunderstand the intended meaning.
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lol - laugh out loud
btw - by the way
ttyl - talk to you later
eod - end of discussion
ur - your
f2f - face to face
b4 - before
brb - be right back
cu - see you
tia - thanks in advance
●​ pls - please
●​ tnx - thanks
●​ imho - in my humble opinion
REPORTER 7:
CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE
Netiquette, or network etiquette, is concerned with the "proper" way to communicate in an online
environment. Consider the following "rules," adapted from Virginia Shea's The Core Rules of
Netiquette, whenever you communicate in the virtual world.
Rule 1: Remember the Human
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
REPORTER 8:
Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace
Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth
REPORTER 9:
Rule 5: Make yourself look good online
Rule 6: Share expert knowledge
REPORTER 10:
Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control
Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy
REPORTER 11:
Rule 9: Don't abuse your power
Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes
REPORTER 13:
VII. CLINICAL EXAMPLE
●​ Professional Communication: Provide clear and complete patient updates in digital
systems.
●​ Respectful Interaction: Use polite and professional tone when clarifying orders online.
●​ Confidentiality: Share patient information only through secure, authorized platforms.
●​ Proper Documentation: Record accurate and timely data in electronic health records.
●​ Accountability: Log out after using digital systems to protect patient data.
●​ Online Collaboration: Communicate respectfully during virtual team discussions.
●​ Social Media Professionalism: Avoid posting any patient-related or workplace
information.