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.
Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.
We are not supposed to have our cellphones on us, either. However, as of late, I keep mine in my "gadget bag" (hold my pens - a unit joke, clamps, ref material, penlights and the all important gum). It is on silence all. We have notoriously spotty reception in our facility. Phones go dead quickly, so I also have my charger. Check it on occasion throughout the day. It is the only phone at work I can connect with my homephone on (we have privacy director and all phone numbers from our unit are blocked).
We do have cellphones issued to us each day. Yuck!!! Can't even have 2 secs in the potty without that thing. I have found that coworkers who were using their cellphones before are now using the hospital issued things just the same way - they talk in pt room while doing patient care - and they are very obviously personal calls. I abhor that kind of behavior.
I've also had it with co-workers getting on the internet. They make nice with the residents and get their passwords. Nothing like busting your a** while your coworkers are sitting there looking at "lazyday.com". I've gotten fairly assertive lately when I do see this - I tell them that if they've got a few minutes I could really use a little help. Croaks me to ask for help, but I'm over lazy people on cellphones,phones and the internet wasting time they could be spending with patients.
These yucky phones we are to use also have text messaging capabilities. We have been told to be careful - the texts are monitored (don't know how). If they are not business texts, then we are subject to disciplinary action. Found out 1 or 2 higher-ups were terminated for "playing around" with texting.
Enough with this rant. Off my soapbox.
PS - I, too, am old enough to remember the days before cell phones. I love caller ID, too! I keep trying to tell my youngest that just 'cause that thing rings doesn't mean I have to answer!!!!!!!
As for 8 yr olds calling for mom at work... I don't know why. They are not my children. My son has never called me at work "just to talk" (he's 13 now).
All this, IMO, is really silly. I am from a sales/computer technology background and in that field, having your cell phone and using it is a part of life. I never in my life have had anyone say a word to me about cell phone restrictions. I've also never had a problem with my supervisors/coworkers using theirs either. Maybe this is just industry specific or nurses are treated more like children than people in my previous field. Its sad, and I really hope that is not the case. I've seen it in jobs that are generally no education required/high school student type jobs (like fast food restaurants/mall jobs etc) but never in my professional career have I been treated like (what I see as) a child.
Professionalism, in my experience, has always been expected. A few moments here and there to deal with personal stuff has also always been understood by the "higher ups".
I guess I just see this as a very concerning trend in this field, as part of a bigger issue, and I hope that it doesn't make it hard for me to enjoy the career I've selected. Not being treated like an adult, and micromanaged to the degree of not being allowed personal items or a phone call from home, is obsurd. As those have said previous in this thread... let the people who are being unprofessional be taken to task. Its a sad day when its easier to treat all nurses/staff as children than to take the time to deal with trouble makers one on one.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Why would an 8 year old be needing to call? Shouldn't they have someone at home taking care of them?
More and more children are latch-keys these days. Daycare is very expensive, and at times circumstances force these situations to happen. I was one for a few months, and I was expected to call my mother when I got home from school immediately. It gave her peace of mind to know I was safely home. If I didn't, I can see her dropping everything to run home.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I carry my cell phone at work, but always on viberate, and rarely does it do that. But remember 9/11? Remember all the people who were able to call their families with last goodbys because they had their cell phones with them. We live in tornado alley. If a tornado was to hit our town, I'd want to be touch with loved ones now, yes I could get right back work, knowing they were safe, and them knowing I was safe. Recently an assasin walked into a nearby mall and started shooting. I'm sure all those store employees were not allowed to carry their phones at work either, but most did. By having their phones on them they were able to tell the police where they were hiding and what they were hearing, as well as to call loved ones immediately and say "I'm safe". I realize this is a bit dramatic, but it happens, if it happens I'll be prepared.
To be honest, I have that same feeling...I live in New York, and I was able to see the towers fall before my very eyes from another borough. Since then, I have been strict about bringing my cell phone to work. It was such chaos that day, and a few days later. I remember sneaking from work to pick up my son who attended school a few blocks from where I work to keep him with me for the remainder of the day.
9/11 and other things haunt me to no end, and I'm being honest, if something is happening and I can get to my son, I'm going.
Very true. That's why I tell whoever is watching my son that I'm at clinical, my phone is not supposed to be with me, and so to only call if something is on fire, there's copious amounts of blood involved, or if they are already sitting in the ED.
Excellent and that's how it should be. If I had kids there would be hell to pay if they called for some of the reasons I've heard my coworkers get calls about: "I'm bored"...." "what's for supper?"...."I don't want to do my homework." ""Susie is looking at me." .LOL
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Excellent and that's how it should be. If I had kids there would be hell to pay if they called for some of the reasons I've heard my coworkers get calls about: "I'm bored"...." "what's for supper?"...."I don't want to do my homework." ""Susie is looking at me." .LOL
Most of the calls from children were like this, making the receptionist or receipants of these calls extremely annoyed (understandably so). But the parents take them all so seriously, and usually become confrontational towards the person who usually answers the telephone. This is why I say to let those parents take their own calls on their cell to decrease the bottleneck. And, if the parent deals with this in an inappropriate manner, then, discipline them.
I work 5 or 6, 12 hour night shifts a week between my 2 jobs. My phone is on silent mode while I sleep (day). I always have to return calls to people for that reason.
At work, my cell phone stays in my locker and I check it for messages or missed calls when I swing by to the bathroom. I listen to my messages on my rare lunch break.
Collective "punishments" like the one described are not caused by a few irresponsible people using their cellphones rudely, but rather by a lazy, and sneering culture in the management.
I've worked in places where cell phone usage was a HUGE issue and I was told to put up my cell phone (also a PDA) while I was looking up an unfamiliar drug because people (aka patients families) couldn't tell if I was texting or using my PDA. I think standing at the Pyxsis amongst medication was a clue enough...but whatever.
Current place of employment, we have no issues with cell phones. We have a purse drawer were all our purses are stored at the desk, almost everyone has their cell in there and periodically we check it thru out the day. Never a problem. If a phone call needs to be made usually they go to the break room, the med room or some other unoccupied room to make a phone call. Very rarely have I seen anyone use their phone while sitting at the desk, even with no patients in the unit.
Our manager doesn't frown upon cell phone usage and/or treat us like toddlers which I think makes all the difference.
They can have my cell phone when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.
That said, I'll give up my cell when they all stop surfing the web when they should be helping me.
There is no excuse for web surfing while at work. In a busy ER there is never not something to be done. But yesterday my tech was on the computer playing all day while I ran my butt off.
I work 5-6 12 hours shifts a week. Don't get breaks. My cell is on vibrate. I bet I haven't gotten 10 personal calls in 5 years because I have everyone trained. I am a responsible, hard working person with good cell phone use judgement and I have a right to my cell.
Just because there were no cell phones 20 years ago doesn't mean we can't embrace them now.
I wish that management would just talk to the abusers and leave the rest of us alone, but they issue these blanket statements because they are cowards.
I wish that management would just talk to the abusers and leave the rest of us alone, but they issue these blanket statements because they are cowards.
i agree on both counts:
that they are cowards, and they should only address the abusers.
Well, I've only made it thru page 4, but I have to stop and ask...do I work at the only hospital that doesn't get cell phone reception inside? Or the only hospital that still has a sign posted "please turn off all cell phones"? I don't see anyone, nurses, techs, doctors, anyone, walking around with their cell phones. All the nurses and techs (and some secretarys) carry a work phone and the doctors have their pagers. The only people who try to use their cells are the patients, but they can't really get any signal, so its pointless.
AlabamaBelle
476 Posts
We are not supposed to have our cellphones on us, either. However, as of late, I keep mine in my "gadget bag" (hold my pens - a unit joke, clamps, ref material, penlights and the all important gum). It is on silence all. We have notoriously spotty reception in our facility. Phones go dead quickly, so I also have my charger. Check it on occasion throughout the day. It is the only phone at work I can connect with my homephone on (we have privacy director and all phone numbers from our unit are blocked).
We do have cellphones issued to us each day. Yuck!!! Can't even have 2 secs in the potty without that thing. I have found that coworkers who were using their cellphones before are now using the hospital issued things just the same way - they talk in pt room while doing patient care - and they are very obviously personal calls. I abhor that kind of behavior.
I've also had it with co-workers getting on the internet. They make nice with the residents and get their passwords. Nothing like busting your a** while your coworkers are sitting there looking at "lazyday.com". I've gotten fairly assertive lately when I do see this - I tell them that if they've got a few minutes I could really use a little help. Croaks me to ask for help, but I'm over lazy people on cellphones,phones and the internet wasting time they could be spending with patients.
These yucky phones we are to use also have text messaging capabilities. We have been told to be careful - the texts are monitored (don't know how). If they are not business texts, then we are subject to disciplinary action. Found out 1 or 2 higher-ups were terminated for "playing around" with texting.
Enough with this rant. Off my soapbox.
PS - I, too, am old enough to remember the days before cell phones. I love caller ID, too! I keep trying to tell my youngest that just 'cause that thing rings doesn't mean I have to answer!!!!!!!