cell phones at work

[tuxedopenguino]

How common is it for cell phones to be assigned to nurses in other hospitals? They drive me crazy! Throughout the shift is filled with constant interruptions. I understand how useful they are with calling docs and other departments. And I work on a tele floor so it buzzes us when something is off with someone's heart monitor--which is useful. The phones are also connected to call bells as well. But the amount of calls we get and interruptions amaze me. There are times where I have to stop and recalibrate my brain because I completely lost track of what I was about to do!

So much for minimizing interruptions for safer patient care...it seems like we can't work without it but at the same time can't work well with it. Sigh.

[Galendria]

We carry cell phones at my current job, and like others have mentioned call lights, telemetry alarms, bed exit alarms, and regular calls all come to the phone. Nursing leadership is so amazed by the sheer volume of beeps and calls that we get that they are currently working on a project to create 4-6 different rings so that we know what sort of thing is happening (bed exit, high alert telemetry, staff emergency, etc) without having to pull our phone out of our pockets. That would certainly be helpful for the times we are in isolation or a sterile procedure.

I have to admit though, that as much as I want to fling my cell phone out an 11th floor window some days its still better than when I first became a nurse. Back then we carried basic pagers, and the secretary would page us the room number if our patients called out. Also, waiting 10-15 minutes at the desk, chained to a phone, waiting for the doctor to call back was always fun.

[tuxedopenguino]

different sounds for certain types of calls is an interesting idea. I'd like to have it just vibrate if its a call light, and have a certain tone for a critical lab, and maybe a tone and text message for things like escort. I think anything to lessen the amount of times we have to physically pick the phone up/get interrupted and distracted by obnoxious ringing would be great.

I don't have a 'do not disturb' function on my phone. I can either choose to pick it up or ignore it. When my phone battery dies the secretary ends up with a call or the charge nurse and then they end up looking for me. So I really have no choice but to pick it up all the time. Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad a problem if staffing was better? I'm new too so I'm still struggling with setting limits and not feeling like I need to get to everything and answer everyone right away.

I guess I kind of expected that things are much better now with the phones. Although I still feel like there has to be a better way then what is now!

[EmergencyRN22]

We have voceras. We are required to provide our extensions on our room walls for patients or family to call us directly. They can even call from home and use the ext to get us personally after being discharged. It's nutty. I've had coworkers get harassing calls from former patients. I even had a lady that was discharged give her son my number. He actually called and told me about the situation and then wanted to "chit chat" while I'm working.

We carry enough crap around. Voceras, squad radio and pager along with all my other stuff. I need a flipping "work belt" for everything.

[Seaofclouds, BSN, RN]

I've worked in a few hospitals with phones of some kind or another. The first hospital was just a phone, not linked to call bells or alarms. The most current hospital uses a system called Amplion. It ties in to the alarms, can be used as a phone, and can be sent messages from the desk relating to needs when the patient uses the call bell. It is also tied into timers such as hourly rounding, two hour turns, and pain reassessments. This system also has monitoring which does get used in evaluations. When sent a message or alarm, the staff must accept or deny the message (this is tracked for compliance and timeliness). Then, the messages are also tracked for when they are cleared in the rooms (this is also tracked for compliance and timeliness).

I don't mind the regular phones for communication, but I think adding everything else in to the phone adds a lot of distractions from providing patient care and safe medication passes.

[Oh'Ello, BSN, RN]

We use spectralinks that are connected via responder 5... aka... the call bell system. Unless I am anticipating a call for a critical patient situation or a response to a page, I leave my phone on my med cart prior to entering a patients room. Whoever it is, is just going to have to wait, or talk to the charge nurse or unit secretary when the call bounces to them.