Not that it would be used for anything but an emergency, but how do you feel about being told that you may not carry your cell phone while working?
Even if it's off, even if it's on vibrate. Even if it's part of your PDA that helps you get your job done.
I kinda feel like I'm back in high school. All the "grownups" -- docs, managers, administrators -- may keep their cell phones. But I, a lowly staff nurse (middle-aged, educated, professional, and presumably with decent morals and good judgment), cannot.
The surgeons are allowed to have theirs in the rooms, they're allowed to keep them on, and at times I've been asked to answer them when they're ringing. I have no problem answering beepers=they may be on call or one of their pts needs something, but as far as the cells, I just move REALLY SLOWLY until it stops ringing or I keep doing what I'm doing. These cell phones all have cameras too so do they think doctors are immune to violating pt privacy?
There have been issues with the OR secretaries telling people "we don't take messages". We are not supposed to have our cell phones with us, but one of my co-workers had an emergency with her child, her dad had called to tell the mom and was hung up on by a secretary. So therefore, people carry them now. They'd rather take the chance of getting written up than something happening to their kid(s) and not knowing.
If you are going to have a policy of no cell phones, then this needs to apply to everyone, surgeons and docs included. They can always carry a beeper for emergencies, just like they did before cells took off. As for me, I'll be carrying my phone when I believe it may be necessary(sick family member etc).
We carry them and management knows it. Truth be told we are often so busy no one has time to check messages or talk. We carry them so family can reach us in the case of an emergency. My family and friends know my work schedule and I tell them unless it is urgent to leave a message at my home and I will call them after work. Cell phones haven't been an issue for us at all.
See my post....many secretaries get snippy about taking messages for staff.
And also sometimes emergencies are private and we want to keep them out of the workplace. I keep my private and personal life separate from one another. I find this policy to work best in my life.
And also sometimes emergencies are private and we want to keep them out of the workplace. I keep my private and personal life separate from one another. I find this policy to work best in my life.
You aren't the first one that said this but I would assume, "please have Batman24 call home it is an emergency" would be sufficient and should surely spark some action from the message taker. I wasn't expecting the gory details.
I didn't think about not having a direct line to the unit or secretaries not passing the messages along. Our secretaries are great because most of the staff have kids and lets face not every call to Mom or Dad is a true 9ll but they will see that we get the message.
Its probably because I'm old and just don't feel the need to be reachable when I'm on the can for example....yes much to my horror a woman was in the stall next to me the other day yapping on her cell.
I'm also old enough to remember life before cell phones. I wholeheartedly agree that ubiquitous cell phones have produced a permanent change in the culture, one not necessarily for the better.
I carry mine with me (on vibrate or silent). I do occasionally text during a free moment. But I continue to utilize it at work pretty much the same way I used land lines at work before the advent of cell phones -- once or twice at most during the work day for either a quick check-in with someone or to make a brief important call.
The OP's situation -- where some professionals are "permitted" to have them and some are "not permitted" ... that unfortunately speaks volumes about the culture at that workplace.
i was just about to post something similiar to yours.
that, 20 yrs ago, this wasn't even an issue.
and yes, we survived.
i see nurses continually checking for messages, even if they're not talking.
they're distracting and oh so unprofessional.
count me as another anti-cell phone user.
leslie
Thank you. I have and still work as a RN for 45 years. Yes ,I have a cell phone now. When I am at work, its TURNED OFF (I know, a unheard of idea) and in my locker.
I worked for years and years without that "link" to home at family, 4 kids. They knew where I was and I knew where they were. If they had a emergency ,the police, ER ,would have notified me. It was not a emergency that one kid looked at another kid,one wants to go somewhere before I (or Dad) gets home, one kid ate the other's snack, and on and on. They did fine doing what they were suppose to ,didn't have to call us for every move they made. And I did my work just fine without calling or texting .
Now that being said, my 89 year old father has a life line.I have been called at work twice that he had fell and I was needed. Didn't even need a cell phone for that!
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
not that it would be used for anything but an emergency, but how do you feel about being told that you may not carry your cell phone while working?
even if it's off, even if it's on vibrate. even if it's part of your pda that helps you get your job done.
i kinda feel like i'm back in high school. all the "grownups" -- docs, managers, administrators -- may keep their cell phones. but i, a lowly staff nurse (middle-aged, educated, professional, and presumably with decent morals and good judgment), cannot.
:angryfire
thoughts?
in my unit, cell phones have gotten totally out of hand. nurses (presumable educated professionals) answer them at the bedside and procede to have fights with their sos and children! i've seen cell phones ring (and get answered!) at codes, during procedures and once while being chewed out by the manager. that said, my treo is both my pda and my cell phone, and i'm not giving it up! however if someone cannot use good sense and good manners with theirs, i'm all about letting them give theirs up!
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
Cell phones at work is big concern as dept mgr and also much larger societal issue:
Some parents use the phone to keep track of childresn's/spouse EVERY movement.... therefore when whey are on cell not performing work.
The message they are giving their family is that:
a. One can not learn to settle lifes differences without direct parental involvement.
b. Child does not talk responsibility for their action or lack of action
c. Children not free to explore, think or do on their own.
d. Mom and Dad will always be their to protect/defend child.
e. Your in your 70's and 80's and getting calls from sons/dtrs at 12:30 AM, 3AM, 5:30AM interupting sleep "come help me" and now extended to granchildren......
Independence is LOST while dependence fostered.
I've spent more time counseling staff on this issue than all others this year... cell calls are back to urgent need to know level and work productivity at it's peak.
that said, my treo is both my pda and my cell phone, and i'm not giving it up! however if someone cannot use good sense and good manners with theirs, i'm all about letting them give theirs up!
how's that for an answer?
gee ruby, don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!
So in other words if your co workers would put their phones on vibrate or silent you would be okay. And as far as you telling the aide that was helping you that u would report her. I'm sure u could of told her that you all were in the middle of tending to a patient and answering her cell phone was or would be inapropriate. Instead of making a threat. And as far as playing rap music on there cell phones it would be better said to not hear or play anything instead of singling rap music out some might take that offensive. Any how hope you have better work day maybe u can call a meeting about your situation.
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GadgetRN71, ASN, RN
1,841 Posts
The surgeons are allowed to have theirs in the rooms, they're allowed to keep them on, and at times I've been asked to answer them when they're ringing. I have no problem answering beepers=they may be on call or one of their pts needs something, but as far as the cells, I just move REALLY SLOWLY until it stops ringing or I keep doing what I'm doing. These cell phones all have cameras too so do they think doctors are immune to violating pt privacy?
There have been issues with the OR secretaries telling people "we don't take messages". We are not supposed to have our cell phones with us, but one of my co-workers had an emergency with her child, her dad had called to tell the mom and was hung up on by a secretary. So therefore, people carry them now. They'd rather take the chance of getting written up than something happening to their kid(s) and not knowing.
If you are going to have a policy of no cell phones, then this needs to apply to everyone, surgeons and docs included. They can always carry a beeper for emergencies, just like they did before cells took off. As for me, I'll be carrying my phone when I believe it may be necessary(sick family member etc).