A very brief vent....

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Specializes in Cardiac, Adolescent/Child Mental Health.

One of the nurses I'm working with has been on the phone taking a personal call for about an hour now. The rest of us are fairly busy and helping each other out.

I'm just sayin'...

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Specializes in NICU.

That drives me NUTS! We have one who, literally, talks to her BF all night long. She puts him on hold to do her assessments and start feedings, and then goes right back to it.

Might be wise if you don't get busted posting on allnurses, though. :chuckle

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Get Off The Phone

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I have an idea, pick up the line the nurse is using on another phone and the press a button so all you hear is BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.

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Specializes in Staff nurse.
One of the nurses I'm working with has been on the phone taking a personal call for about an hour now. The rest of us are fairly busy and helping each other out.

I'm just sayin'...

Does the charge say anything to the offending nurse? IS the offending nurse the charge? I would say something to my NM and if necessary, document it. There's nothing brief about an hour, esp. with the other nurses helping each other out...they could use the help/assistance of the talking nurse.

This is stealing from the company...maybe call house supervisor and invite her to visit your floor when this person is on a gab-athon.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

My hospital is very strict about this, personal use of the telephone in excess is classed as diversion of hospital resources in both the telephone use and your work time. Treated as fraud if caught.

What does the charge nurse say / do about this??

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.

We had a weekend nurse whose kids would call, I'm not exaggerating, 10-15 x a shift. I just LOVED to run down the hall to answer these calls!

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.
One of the nurses I'm working with has been on the phone taking a personal call for about an hour now. The rest of us are fairly busy and helping each other out.

I'm just sayin'...

The longer you let it go on the message you are giving her is that it is acceptable behavior.

I know what I would be doing!

She is getting paid just like you to WORK!! :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.

Casually walk around her while she's on the phone. When she notices, just tell her you were checking to see if there were roots growing where she is sitting, since she's been in that spot for awhile now.:typing

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

You can always ACCIDENTALLY unplug the phone from the wall. Oops!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
one of the nurses i'm working with has been on the phone taking a personal call for about an hour now. the rest of us are fairly busy and helping each other out.

did the "rest of us" include you? your post indicates that you composed this thread while your coworker was on this one hour phone call. who was left to help the others out?

the appropriate thing to do when someone is violating a work policy (making personal phone calls) is to confront the person or notify a supervisor or manager instead of making a "very brief vent" on allnurses.com. i would have stood at the side of this nurse and stared at her until she hung up. i would have also paged my supervisor while doing this standing and staring and told her that nurse x had been on the phone on what seemed to be a personal call and we were hopping busy covering lights. i would also let my manager know about this and i'd probably do it in writing.

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Did the "rest of us" include you? Your post indicates that you composed this thread while your coworker was on this one hour phone call. Who was left to help the others out?

The appropriate thing to do when someone is violating a work policy (making personal phone calls) is to confront the person or notify a supervisor or manager instead of making a "very brief vent" on allnurses.com. I would have stood at the side of this nurse and stared at her until she hung up. I would have also paged my supervisor while doing this standing and staring and told her that Nurse X had been on the phone on what seemed to be a personal call and we were hopping busy covering lights. I would also let my manager know about this and I'd probably do it in writing.

Agreed. Pot....meet Kettle. :banghead:

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