Cellphones at work

[Rehabme]

Cellphones at work - are they really that important? For those who cary them for emergency puposes I can kind of understand but have they ever been called? Any ideas how to keep the curse of the smartphones undercontrol? Looking for any help I can get

[virgo,student nurse, CNA]

If I am going to be in a meeting,or I know a lot of people may be around I put my phone on silent. I think it is ok to have your phone on you, in the event of an emergency. You should also be aware of your work locations, policy on phones in the work place.

[mom2cka]

We cannot have ours (policy) and most people do follow that and keep them in their lockers. We kind of police ourselves, I think...

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The majority of people lived just fine without cellphones as recently as ten years ago. I do not see why they need to be glued to the cellphone while at work.

If it's really an emergency, the person can attempt to reach the employee through a land line, or leave a voice mail message that can be checked on a break or meal period. Sorry, but emergencies do not happen to most people daily, weekly, or even monthly.

[DixieRedHead, ASN, RN]

What amazes me is that the same person who forgets their badge three times a week never forgets their cell phone.

[Boognish]

I keep mine on silent or turned off in my backpack in the nurse's station. If anybody needs to get a hold of me in an emergency, they can call my facility. Except for when I'm on break, I only ever take my phone out while I'm finishing up my paperwork, and it's usually only to text my wife when I'm running late.

[cityknitty_RN]

I agree that for emergencies, one can always call the facility so a cell phone is not necessary to have by your side at all times.

However, I will say that my smartphone has come in handy at work a few times. I do have nurse-friendly software that helps with calculations, drug books, etc. It's quick and I use software that would be found around the nurses desk anyway (such as a Davis Drug Guide, for example). You may say, just look it up in the book. Well, it's quicker for me to look it up there. Same difference.

[Boognish]

I think using your cellphone as a nursing tool is legit. It's only when people are using their phones in ways that it interferes with their work that it becomes a problem.

[littlegreenfrog]

where I work (hospital) people are on their phones all of the time - i have seen people take calls while in pt's rooms and you will see them on the phone walking down the hall. I'm talking personal calls on personal cell phones. no one seems to care.

[nelcoy4]

My manager doesn't mind that we carry our cellphones on us. She just doesn't want us to take calls in pt's rooms and we have to keep it on silent. I don't talk on my phone at work, but my phone has come in handy a few times. I downloaded Goggle translate to help me communicate with non-english speaking pts (this helps when I can't find the translator phone). The drug app, calulator, stopwatch, setting alarms for pts that want their prn pain meds the exact time it's due, & finding music to calm down anxious pts.

[niko1999 RN BSN]

I know we are technically not allowed to have our cell phones on us, because there are people who sit in the hallway and text message while on the clock. I think I am one of the only ones besides our PA and Dr's who use their cell phone to look up drugs (I have a pocket drug guide for nurses, and clinician drug guide and an Iv drug guid on my phone.) I think it's kind of a matter of finding out who is using their phone for texting, IE: PT and CNA and OT are most likely NOT looking up drugs when theyre in a pt room

[NurseBrookitty]

Omg I know! I'm so sick of this! When I first started working I kept getting these calls to the facility for this same person and thought this person must be really important! Then I realized it was this chick's boyfriend. I seriously feel like professionalism is a joke these days. Grr.