Nurses are used to dealing with various professional challenges that come their way, such as handling complex patient cases, working long hours, and being regularly exposed to high-stress moments. However, one aspect of being a nurse can be tricky to traverse, especially for single nurses looking to find romantic connections: dating.
For nurses, having a dating life or actively meeting new people isn’t always as easy and carefree as what some TV shows or movies may depict. Although dating challenges affect everyone, not just nurses, it’s evident that nurses and other healthcare professionals face unique professional, ethical, and emotional obstacles in their relationships. While dating colleagues is more acceptable in some professions, this isn’t always the case in healthcare. Some employers prohibit their employees from pursuing romantic relationships, as this could disrupt team dynamics and workplace professionalism.
Nurses looking for love or a personal connection might start their search online, specifically through a dating site or app, similar to how one in ten partnered adults in the US has done. However, as most of us already know, online dating has its fair share of problems. For example, according to a 2020 Pew Research Center study, 57% of women online daters received sexually explicit messages or images that they did not consent to receiving.
In this article, we discuss valuable tips on how healthcare professionals can stay safe on dating apps and sites.
Safe online dating practices for healthcare professionals
How to stay safe on dating apps and sites
1. Never share your personal information and work details
Although you might be tempted to share your personal information, such as your full name or your phone number, to your online match, hold off on doing that until after you’ve met in person and have established trust.
Don’t put your full name on your online dating profile, too, as this could heighten your risk. According to a report from Kaspersky, 25% of online daters share their full name on their dating profile while one out of ten users have shared their home address and even explicit photos of themselves on dating apps.
Another important tip to keep you safe and reduce the risk of stalking: Don’t share detailed information about your job. Make sure that the photos you upload of yourself won’t have your badge showing your full name and job title, too.
2. Do your due diligence
Online dating apps and sites are not just for those finding love; it’s also home to those finding a worthwhile scam. It’s a good idea to look up the person you’ve swiped right to and matched with by doing a quick reverse image search. This will help ensure that you’re not being catfished or scammed.
3. Go on a video call before meeting in person
Before meeting your online date in person, you can ask them to do a quick video call so you can make sure that who you’re talking to matches the photos associated with their online dating profile.
4. Be wary of romance scam red flags
Romance scammers, malicious individuals who attempt to trick victims into sending them money by creating fake online dating profiles, proliferate on dating apps and sites. It’s always a good idea to keep an eye out for romance scam red flags on online dating apps, such as:
· Their story sounds too good to be true.
· They want to move the conversation off the dating app and ask you to share your personal number, email address, or ask you to communicate with them via a different messaging app.
· After gaining your trust, they’ll ask you to send them money for an urgent need, such as a medical emergency.
· They will make promises to visit you or meet up with you but never do.
· They do not want to go on Facetime or video calls with you.
Outside the dating app: How to stay safe on physical dates with people you meet online
1. Always share your date details with a friend or a relative
Before you head out, give your date’s name, photo, and date details to your friends and/or family members. Share what time you’re supposed to be there, what time you expect to be home, and where you’ll go. You can also share your real-time location with a trusted friend or relative.
2. Meet in a public place
Choose a place that you’re familiar with (plus points if you know the restaurant/café workers) and is located in a busy area. Meet your date there — don’t get picked up or dropped off at your house or place of work and make sure that you plan how to get there and get home safely.
3. Consider a short coffee date
Your first date with your dating app match doesn’t have to be a long one. Instead of watching a movie and having dinner afterward, consider going on a short afternoon coffee date.
If you choose to go out for drinks at night, make sure that you’re being attentive to your drink at all times. To keep your drinks safe from spiking, bring a cup cover on your date.
We trust that these guidelines will assist you in navigating online dating applications and websites securely. Stay safe online and offline!
