150 bed facility-nurses answer all calls coming into facility

[quickkarma, BSN]

I'm curious how many facilities out there have the nurses carry the cordless land-line phone and answer calls coming in during their entire shift through med pass, cares, etc. One can imagine how many calls come in in a day. It is however split between several of us, it seems only a few will actually answer it. Thoughts please. Just wondering if this is common.

[Mona P Cline]

Got Certified as a Wound care Nurse last year, after working in Skilled Facility for more than 10 years. Finally got a new job in Wound Care Clinic. And I'm loving it.

[caliotter3]

I have never seen this done, at large or small facilities, although I have heard of it. If I were placed in this situation, the phone would ring, if I was doing something that I could not stop or interrupt safely.

[ChryssyD]

When the switchboard operator goes home at 5pm, the RN on my unit (acute/admissions unit) gets all incoming calls. It's really annoying and has us re-routing calls all evening. I have had calls come to the cell phone that I couldn't answer because I was gloved-up and in the middle of some procedure; I let them go to voice mail, and if they don't leave one, I don't call the number back--if it's important, they'll try again.