Response to “Taking Photos of Presentations: Dissemination or Distraction?”

I would like to thank Anne Katz, PhD, RN, FAAN, for her thoughtful editorial in the July 2018 issue of Oncology Nursing Forum (Katz, 2018). At least twice, that I am aware of, someone has used my slides without my permission. The first time happened about 10 years ago. I gave an educational program on the fundamentals of hereditary cancer syndromes at a regional conference for oncology nurses. I provided a detailed outline for note-taking and a list of references and resources. On one slide, there was a picture of my entire extended family at our cabin in a remote area of the Ozarks in Missouri, as well as several other photos that I had taken of my daughters and dog. Only I had access to those photos. Two years later, in a search for a continuing education program, I clicked on a link and saw my entire lecture with no editing except for the first slide, in which the person placed her name. It was being used for a fee-for-service continuing education program. I found the author and contacted her. She had been paid to produce this program. She told me she called the course director where I presented, who sent her my entire PowerPoint® presentation, so she thought it was fine to use those slides. I called the course director, and her response was that she did not think I would mind because I was so nice about answering questions at the end of the program.

The second time I realized this happened occurred when a close friend of mine from the East Coast called me and said how surprised she was to see pictures of my girls in a local Oncology Nursing Society chapter educational program sponsored by a company who brought in a speaker. Once again, I found the presenter, and she said she had so enjoyed my program at a national meeting that she thought she would include much of that content in her presentation. Ironically, this person really does not clinically work in the field of caring for patients with hereditary cancer syndromes; she wrote a paper about it in graduate school. She said the slide quality was very high because she had videotaped my entire presentation with a tripod and a fairly high-level camera. She then extracted still images of my slides. Once again, I had provided a detailed handout for note-taking and a list of resources.

I spend a lot of time making these presentations. No two presentations I do are ever identical. I make each presentation to meet the specific objectives determined by myself and program planners, audience, and time limits. Whenever someone asks, I provide handouts for note-taking and a list of resources. All of this is my work product.

Healthcare providers, most often physicians, will often call me and ask me for a copy of my slides because they want to do a program in their community. My answer is no. This is my work product. I tell them I would be glad to come to their community and provide a presentation that is appropriate and tailored to the needs of the community.

When I do presentations, most of which I never receive financial remuneration for, I am clear with the course director what can and cannot be done with my slides. I provide handouts whenever it is requested. I tell course directors they are not to share my slides and that any requests should come directly to me.

I cannot, however, make requests about integrity of the participants. Presenters are the owners of their slides, and they determine how that information is disseminated beyond the presentation. I cannot control who is taking photos or videotaping my presentation. When individuals use presenter materials without permission, as in both of the cases described, it is theft. For the first program, I received travel expenses. For the second program, which was held near where I live, I received nothing. In both cases, I presented because I wanted oncology nurses to better understand concepts related to hereditary cancer syndromes. In both cases in which individuals stole my presentation, they were financially compensated. This is theft of intellectual property. I count on the audience, with whom I am sharing information so they can provide better care to patients, to be respectful and not steal copies of the slides without my permission.

About the Author(s)

Suzanne M. Mahon, RN, DNSc, AOCN®, AGN-BC, is a professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Department of Internal Medicine, and an adult nursing professor in the School of Nursing at Saint Louis University in Missouri. No financial relationships to disclose. Mahon can be reached at suzanne.mahon@health.slu.edu, with copy to ONFEditor@ons.org.