Cell Phones in Class?

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 7, 2011

While it was in the syllabus to not have phones in class, I never once saw anyone removed from class because of it. I dont find it distracting to me. I do however hate how the people that text all the time ask later on what the teacher said.

Mike R, ADN, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2011

Last semester, I had to text my instructor when I needed her to be around for a procedure.

First semester however, hell hath no fury like a ticked off Ukranian woman hell bent on mass destruction if she saw you on your phone. It was tough love with that one....

As each teacher is different, your mileage may vary! :)

windmill182 · Jul 7, 2011

We are actually required to have a smart phone or PDA for my program. There are different pharmacology Apps that we are required to have...especially during clinical. I guess they would rather we carry a small device rather than a book.

SunshineDaisy, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2011

Windmill, what apps?

Our teachers don't mind us having a phone, but the ringer has to be off and if they catch you on it you will get sent home. That being said, we did have to look up things on the net a few times, so the teachers didnt mind. We are not allowed to have them at clinicals though. Guess a few students thought it'd be fun to violate Hippa laws and take pics of patients and procedures and pass them around!

Certifiable, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2011

There are no official rules--- just that you shouldn't be on your phone during class, it's not smart to be seen handling one during clinicals (grades may suffer if the teacher thinks that you're looking up info instead of learning/texting your bf).

I only had one crazy sociology prof, that in a huge room of 200 students- would ask what someone in the back row was doing under the table, and god help them if it was a phone--- she'd ask them what their name was... don't know if she did anything about it in the end, but she was mental about it---- i would watch 'mr bean' on mute on my laptop when I was bored out of my mind, but laptops don't bother her, just someone's unseen phone:confused:

butterfly134 · Jul 8, 2011

we don't really have a rule. We are allowed them and I've only once seen a teacher tell a student to put their phone away. Generally everyone keeps them on silent and if it does ring, it tends to be quite embarrassing because everyone turns around and looks to see where the distraction is coming from. I cudnt care less if the person beside me was txting or whatever on their fone, once they are silent about it. Its all about having respect for one another (and not causing a scene). Its common courtesy really :)

Isabellah · Jul 9, 2011

I don't believe it is respectful to use your phone in clinical or class. I however have my netbook in class but I keep my powerpoints downloaded on them with the notes I have taken in class. I also can get my textbooks from pageburst online. This prevents me from packing a lot of heavy books, folders, and notebooks. But if you are in class, you need to pay attention to your instructor. You pay a lot of money and sacrifice a lot to go to nursing school. I have had to deal with people texting and chatting on the phone all the time. The bad thing is that these students then turn around and ask the instructor what she said or ask her to repeat things. It is so annoying and takes up precious class time.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2011

I had my cellphone on silent/vibrate for 9 months out of fear it would ring in class. People who did have phones ringing in class did look like idiots. I was told of one person who had an issue with a ringing phone during our tests. It was so distracting that 2 people were questioned about cheating because they kept looking over at the person with the ringing phone (we were not supposed to have phones on us during tests). At one clinical site, we were allowed to text our instructor. At another site, we could only use a land line to leave a message for our instructor and then wait an hour to see her. I find phones pretty distracting so I sit in the front of the class so I don't have to see any of that stuff.

BBRANRN2013, ASN, RN · Jul 10, 2011

we were told in the beginning of my first semester of nursing school that it is highly reccommended that we have a cell phone or PDA. We bought books in our campus bookstore that are downloaded on our phones for when we are in clinical or lab. Davis's Drug Guide is one of them. I find this to be very beneficial to us. I really love not having to lug all my books with me everywhere I go. It's so easy to look something up on a phone then in a gigantic nursing book. Although I do have al lthe nursing books just in case something would happen to my precious phone...lol. I believe that every college should implement this same idea. Although I go to a community college and there are five or so affiliated together and some of the other campuses do not allow the use of the cell phone or PDA. I guess it all depends on how strict the school is and what not. good luck!

windmill182 · Jul 25, 2011

Windmill, what apps?

We are required to use an app called UnboundNursing. It gives us access to Davis' drug guide, Tabers dictionary, etc.

http://www.unboundmedicine.com/solutions/nursing_schools

FLDoula · Jul 25, 2011

Our school is ok with us using electronic devices for things like Unbound Medicine/Nursing Central to access the reference books online. Phones, ipads, ipods, laptops. BUT, if you are caught using it for any other reason during class it's off limits. At orientation they ecouraged us to use these devices for those things and for ebooks. I have an ipad and will use it during classes but not in lab or clinicals.