Facebook while on the clock?

Nurses Professionalism

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I am in my last semster and will graduate in December. During my clinical rotations, I have noticed many of the nurses, while on the clock, playing on the computer, checking their email and Facebook, booking vacations and such. I know I am naive and I am new and excited to finally be in the role of a nurse, but if there is enough time to be playing on the computer, there shouldn't be any patient complaints about the quality of care they are receiving. Is this a problem across the board or just in my neck of the woods? We all deserve a little down time, but at some point in time, someone needs to draw the line!

Non-work related computer stuff is something I avoid at work. I save that for after work.

Some of the other nurses I work with do some browsing around at work. Smartphones are the usual source for Facebook since the hospital blocks the site.

As long as nobody else needs help, the patients are cared for, and the nurse is discreet, I am fine with my coworkers looking at Facebook.

For example, there was a nurse precepting a new nurse on his last day of orientation. This was a very experienced nurse who did not need his preceptor by his side every minute. The census was low, the pace slow and the rest of us had plenty of time to sit around.

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booking vacations and such

Who the heck is getting to take a vacation, let alone have time to book one?

We all deserve a little down time, but at some point in time, someone needs to draw the line!

So what should nurses being doing on their down time?

I'm going to say it: if you are so keenly aware of what each and every nurse is doing in their down time, then maybe you aren't utilizing your time wisely in clinical?

I have never met a nurse who put their down time before patient care.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

On the contrary, if you read through the many posts here on AN, you will find most nurses sacrifice their food time and their bathroom time to provide care.

Please reserve judgement because you just don't know what it's really like yet.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

The work computers are for just that. Your employer has the right to know what you do with their equipment. If you check your personal e-mail at work they can see it as well.

We have had a few discussions here on AN that this issue is discussed. You are at work and should be doing your work....We all know about "down time" but it is more than just "down time " these devices are being used.

Recently......As my BIL was dying and needed breakthrough pain Rx......the nurse told my sister to "Wait a min" as they stood there finishing their text message.......there was more than one nurse who did this........my older sister and baby sister are nurses as well........Really people????

I know....there was an emergency at home....they were checking on their kids, dog, parent, neighbor..... boyfriend. I know it was just for a minute. I know it is important, I know you are just looking something up......as you smile and giggle as you type for I always find medical research sites amusing.

Am I annoyed...the answer is yes. The is a time and a place for this activity. The nurses station or standing at the med cart isn't one of them. I am trying to convince myself that it has become a bad habit and that they are unaware how inconsiderate they are...how unprofessional they appear to the casuual eye. That they are unaware how much and how long they are buried in thier devices.

PLease Put the phone down when you are at work. OP as a new nurse develop good habits don't pick up the bad ones.

It is respectful of your employer and the patients.

Monitoring Employee Social Media Activity in the Workplace

A recent report suggests that by 2016, up to 60 percent of employers are expected to watch workers' social media use for security breaches. Currently, no specific laws govern the monitoring of an employee’s social media activity on a company’s computer (employers are on the lookout for unauthorized posting of company content – videos, documents, photos, etc.)Email, Phone and Social Media Monitoring in the Workplace – Know Your Rights as an Employer | SBA.gov

Assume your boss can monitor any company-owned computer, PDA, or phone – and act on what they find. Deleted emails and computer files are not completely gone. If it was ever on your computer, it can still be found.

They may find out personal things that it’s just not good for a boss to know. Or, they may take advantage of being able to spy on workers.

Can My Boss Do That? | Computer Monitoring Your boss can monitor:

  • Internet use
  • Software downloads
  • Documents or files stored on your computer
  • What websites you visit and how long you stay
  • Anything that is displayed on your computer screen
  • How long you’re on your computer
  • How fast you type
  • If you type any key words from a list
  • E-mails (that you get or send). Emails can be read or automatically screened for certain words. Even if you are using a private email system on a work computer, those emails could be read.
  • Instant messaging and chatting

Bosses say they monitor their employees’ computer because they’re worried about:

  • workers wasting time
  • bandwidth use (when large files are downloaded)
  • exposing their computer systems to viruses
  • making sure that employees do not share secret company information
  • making sure employees don’t send emails that harass another worker, prove discrimination, or could be a problem in a lawsuit

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The last place I worked banned cell phones from being in your possession, it had to be locked in your locker. If it was a true emergency your family could call the office, but no cell phone. The nurse computers had internet blocked and the front desk computers had software monitoring on theirs so if someone did go online they knew what sites and if it was work-related or not. The providers had full access and one doctor in particular kept getting viruses on his computer--I think IT finally blocked his as well. If they're on a break then check Facebook on their phone, otherwise, put it down (except for urgent/emergency situations because life does happen). Cellphones give people a license to be rude and I can't stand it. I won't even go through the drive-through line while on my phone so that I'm not ignoring the cashier and so my caller doesn't know that I ordered the #5 with a Sprite. :)

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Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

I have a no Facebooking and no Tweetering policy. I have not and will not ever create an account on either site. I'm not that important that people care what I'm doing, and I don't think other people are so important that I need to follow all the goings on in their lives. If something is important enough for someone to tell me they can call me and if I have something important to tell someone else I'll call them. Life existed before these sites were around and life will exist after they enevitably go under.

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Specializes in PDN; Burn; Phone triage.

So what should nurses being doing on their down time?

Stocking the med room. Duh!

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

I don't have time during the day to check FB but occasionally there is a slow night and I have some time to browse. I would never put it before patient care though. FB and most "entertainment" sites are banned at my work so I usually use my phone.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Transplant.

We can't access those sites at work (probably for the best in general), but I don't see anything wrong with spending a quick few minutes on a "fun" site IF everything is actually done...sometimes you just need a breather. But that doesn't happen very often at all!

I think the thing that annoys me the most are the several people we have who are obviously reading decent amounts of Harlequin romances or the like during their shift and then whining about how busy it is/how we need more staff/how they just can't keep up with everything :***:Maybe if you read at home instead? LOL

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Specializes in Oncology.

I was in a PCICU with my nephew after his open heart surgery. The nurses were on facebook, ordering christmas items, and various other non-medical related sites. I had my nursing "cap" off and my family "cap" on in this situation and felt very upset. I work and have worked in very stressful high intensity units in which I needed down time to blow off steam but I never let my families' see that I was doing something other than looking like I was doing hospital work. I understand that the nurse couldn't hover over his bed every second of the shift, and there is only so much cart stocking you can do but at very least give us the illusion of working. We as patients' family need to feel as you are spending every minute doing something medically related to feel secure and that you are treating our family as the most important person during you shift. The rational nursing side of me knows it is impossible to spend every moment concentrating on a patient without a break because we'll burn out but I think family deserve at very least the illusion.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Oh, give me a break. We all need a quick mental break here and there. As long as it doesn't interrupt pt care, it's not a problem. My job has lots of downtime and I look at Facebook occasionally. I have even used it to find a funny picture to make a pt smile. It also helps me when I'm stressed out and see a post that makes me smile or laugh. Some people are just looking to cause trouble by complaining that another nurse took a min to look at Facebook. I don't get 15 min breaks and lunch beaks my job. But 1 min to look at Facebook is a good break for me. Why is it your business what other nurses are doing? As long as they are giving good care, leave them alone.

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Trust me you will find out soon enough the busy shifts (when you don't eat,pee, or even have time to think) will more than make up for the few slow shifts when you can relax and surf the Internet a little. It's way too early for you to judge!

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I was in a PCICU with my nephew after his open heart surgery. The nurses were on facebook, ordering christmas items, and various other non-medical related sites. I had my nursing "cap" off and my family "cap" on in this situation and felt very upset. I work and have worked in very stressful high intensity units in which I needed down time to blow off steam but I never let my families' see that I was doing something other than looking like I was doing hospital work. I understand that the nurse couldn't hover over his bed every second of the shift, and there is only so much cart stocking you can do but at very least give us the illusion of working. We as patients' family need to feel as you are spending every minute doing something medically related to feel secure and that you are treating our family as the most important person during you shift. The rational nursing side of me knows it is impossible to spend every moment concentrating on a patient without a break because we'll burn out but I think family deserve at very least the illusion.
I dont think so. if pt is neglected that is one thing or to go online on facebook etc in a computer in front of pt etc but if a nurse is online and a family memeber sees that i would not carr in the least. this is like the units that do not have chairs or a nurses station so visitors have aan illusion that staff is working.
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