Cell Phones

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What are your facilities rules on cell phones?

After a silly girl took pictures of a resident and posted on facebook, cell phones are not allowed on the facility at all by the employees. It used to be only on the ground floor, we could use them. The residents can have cell phones and one in particular uses it at 5 in the morning to report on us. He'll call his family and say, "Oh, they're moving my room mate. I don't know what their doing. Somethings fishy! Call the the nurse manager now!"

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Specializes in LTC.

So they are punishing everybody because of this one moron who took pics? How stupid.

We are allowed to have ours in the facility so we can use them on breaks, but we can't carry them on the floor with us. A lot of people do bring them on the floor and a few of them get a little ridiculous with the texting. I don't carry mine with me at all because I don't want it to get broken. So I leave it in my car.

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Yeah. We were allowed to have ours to use on breaks on the ground floor only. Some people did take the to the floor. Funny thing is I worked with her the day before and never saw her bring out her cell phone.

The most frustrating thing is that we have mandatory overtime but no shift change breaks. That means I can't go to my car to access my cell phone to text/call my boyfriend/supervisor at my other job to tell them I am staying over (and I'd rather text them than call them in 5 in the morning).

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Our "official" policy is no cell phones on your person while working. Usage is for breaks only. Non-compliance supposedly results in termination.

However, the flyer on the unit manager's door (from a few years ago and they still haven't taken it down. Really??) says phones must be in your pocket and on vibrate. I tend to follow the latter rule because it is more lenient. Yes, I pick and choose which rules to follow. :)

Until we have "emergency" call buttons like the hospital (and people that actually ANSWER them), I will always keep my phone on me (though not use it except in dire situations). I've been in too many bad situations where staff never answered call lights or came to help and I had to call the front desk or nurses station for backup. Um, yeah. If someone's having a grand mal seizure and I'm the person keeping them from falling off of the bed onto the floor, I can't exactly skip and trot over to the nurse's station and request assistance.

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At the last job I worked our policy was not cell phones on the floor but I always carried mine and usually had it on vibrate or silent. It was a good thing because I got locked into a bathroom with a resident when the door knob failed. Sure I could have it the emergency pull cord but I am the only one who would answer it. I just called the nurses station with my cell phone and the nurse let us out.

I have also worked in assisted living and have had patients fall. It was a good thing that I had my cell because most of them only had the old fashioned telephones that were corded.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

She took a picture of the resident? She should have been automatically terminated. That's CNA 101: dont take pictures of your patients/residents/clients, etc.. But anyway, at my jobs the rule is: no cell phone out while on the floor; but its okay to use in the breakroom.

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Specializes in ICU.

We have a no-cellphone-in-patient-care-areas rule, but no one follows it and it's not enforced. I always have mine on me (on vibrate) and don't use it unless I'm in my office or a breakroom.

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She took a picture of the resident? She should have been automatically terminated. That's CNA 101: dont take pictures of your patients/residents/clients, etc.. But anyway, at my jobs the rule is: no cell phone out while on the floor; but its okay to use in the breakroom.

She definitely was fired. I'm shocked the story didn't make the news. I'm pretty sure she'll get charged sexual abuse (regarding some of the actions in the pictures) and other stuff. Way to ruin your life, girly.

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab.

Having a cell phone on hand is reliable just in case of those sudden accidents. But no personal phone calls or texts are allowed on the workfloor during your shift. You're allowed to use your phone on breaktime, off the floor. If there's an emergency, and you need to make or take a call, you can always excuse yourself to the restroom. I was working with a girl last night who spent hours playing with her phone. She was so distracted by the screen, she didn't even realize she had two call lights going off down the hall.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.
She definitely was fired. I'm shocked the story didn't make the news. I'm pretty sure she'll get charged sexual abuse (regarding some of the actions in the pictures) and other stuff. Way to ruin your life, girly.

Not to mention she'll more than likely get reported to your state's board of nursing & probably have her certification revoked.

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Specializes in CNA.

Our cell phones are supposed to be in our lockers or cars. Reality..... My cell phone starting ringing while I was helping a resident and she said, "Aren't you going to answer that!" She just assumed that I would.

I have seen aides talking on the phone while giving care. Ridiculous.

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That really annoys me.

Especially those people that think just because they are in the resident's bathroom with the door shut that nobody can hear them.

Uh... ...I can hear you out in the hall. As can the DON, nurse manager, and administrator. :)

It's really nasty when people hold the cell phone in one hand and do peri care with the other. I wonder if they know what types of microbes are getting on their phone and indirectly entering their mouths later?? :barf01:

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