Okay So I have been an Enrolled nurse for 3 yrs now and I work only in aged care. I personally don't have a cell phone because at the end of the day I'm either at work or at home so people always know where to reach me and if i for some reason don't answer the phone it means that I am taking a time out for me !!!
Now I am only 36 so I cant really say that I am old fashioned but in the place I work I knocked on a residents door that was closed, I knew 2 staff were in the room as they had informed me that there was something they wanted me to observe. So like I said I knocked and entered the room to find them giving this resident a bed wash whilst one of the girls was on her mobile phone talking.
I quickly asked her to leave the room, I assisted with helping the other girl finish the bed wash and then asked the other girl to come around to my office. I basically gave her the option to either put her phone away and reminded her that she wasn't supposed to have it on her person anyway. She tried to justify this which I stopped her asap and basically said either put your phone away or go home for the rest of the day.
She chose to go home and was very ****** off at me, some of the other staff were shocked at my decision but I thought that it is utter bull *****. If there is a need for a family member to get in contact with us while at work i always thought that people would ring the front office and then either a message would be taken and if it is really urgent then that person could be taken off the floor and take the call in private. Is that un-reasonable.
It's getting out of hand and I hope that most places begin to clamp down on it. So much for direct 1 on 1 patient care.
I am still a student with 10 months to go and it amazes me at the amount of my classmates that have cellphone/text devices out during class. The instructors have told us numerous times that texting during lectures would be grounds for expulsion from the class, but it still goes on. I really wonder how many are going to take this kind of behavior with them to the hospital floor. Maybe I am an age'ist (I'm 40) but it seems to be primarily the younger nurses (even tho I have seen some of our 50 yr old students playing games on their cellphones during class). I am comfortable with technology and I would like a PDA with nursing aps handy with med calculations, disease pathologies, etc but not for anything else. The other consideration with cell phones are HIPAA and privacy concerns. If I was a patient and saw my nurse in my room, on her cell phone my first thought would be is "does that phone have a camera or video recording?" and how do I know she hasn't used it?
I get peeved when my cashier at the grocery store or Wally World carries on a conversation with another checker as if I'm not even there. I have been known to say, "Excuse me. I would like your full attention." Some apologize and have the decency to be embarrassed. But a few have rolled their eyes at the friend as if to say, "Do you be-LIEVE this rude customer." In those cases, I do not hesitate to complain to a manager before I leave the store. More than one has sighed and thanked me for letting them know. Several times they have told me they've had other complaints and will speak to the offenders. Don't know how well they follow through, but I feel like I've struck a blow for customer service.
Engaging in this kind of behavior while giving any care, but especially something as intimate as bathing, is beyond rude. It tells the patient they don't matter. Heck, they don't even register on the radar. Aside from the utter discourtesy, such an action robs the caregiver of crucial opportunities to assess the patient and connect in the kind and decent manner every human being needs to feel valued and acknowledged.
I remember when cell phones first became accessible to the general public. In addition to real communication needs, some folks trotted them out at inopportune times as if to let everyone else know that they were "all that." This self importance wore off as just about everyone became wired, but cell phones have now become more like umbilical cords to an amazing number of people. They appear to experience a form of connective asphyxiation if separated for more that a few minutes at a time. The irony is that, while they may be in touch in an artificial manner, they often trade this shallower form of communication for real-life interactions with the actual people right in front of them. I have seen friends sitting together at a table, texting away while they ignore each other. How sad.
You were more than generous to not have fired her when she opted to leave. In essence, she chose to make her fellow staff members work short so she could have a snit over something ridiculous. I hope you put a disciplinary write-up in her file and let her know that a second offense (and continuing attitude) will have more serious repercussions.
I have a cell phone and make sure that I have it in the locker room and not on the floor when I am at clinical. This way I am not distracted and I can check my messages and such when I have break.
However, if I were to have an iphone, i would find it more of a benefit than a distraction, as you can get apps on it. download search tools/ books so you can quickly search diagnostic findings/medications. I would not have a problem with that and think that is an excellent idea....as long as whoever is using this tool doent use the messaging or look at anything unprofessional.
I think you did the right thing! I personally think it is very rude to talk on a cell phone while giving care to a pt.
I'm just thinking about how that pt could have felt while the tech was bathing her. Her dignity is already taken away by someone else having to bathe her...and now the person who IS bathing her is talking on her cell phone. Very disrespectful!
My cell phone stays in my car at work. I think you handled the situation well! : )
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I get peeved when my cashier at the grocery store or Wally World carries on a conversation with another checker as if I'm not even there. I have been known to say, "Excuse me. I would like your full attention." Some apologize and have the decency to be embarrassed. But a few have rolled their eyes at the friend as if to say, "Do you be-LIEVE this rude customer." In those cases, I do not hesitate to complain to a manager before I leave the store. More than one has sighed and thanked me for letting them know. Several times they have told me they've had other complaints and will speak to the offenders. Don't know how well they follow through, but I feel like I've struck a blow for customer service.
Engaging in this kind of behavior while giving any care, but especially something as intimate as bathing, is beyond rude. It tells the patient they don't matter. Heck, they don't even register on the radar. Aside from the utter discourtesy, such an action robs the caregiver of crucial opportunities to assess the patient and connect in the kind and decent manner every human being needs to feel valued and acknowledged.
I remember when cell phones first became accessible to the general public. In addition to real communication needs, some folks trotted them out at inopportune times as if to let everyone else know that they were "all that." This self importance wore off as just about everyone became wired, but cell phones have now become more like umbilical cords to an amazing number of people. They appear to experience a form of connective asphyxiation if separated for more that a few minutes at a time. The irony is that, while they may be in touch in an artificial manner, they often trade this shallower form of communication for real-life interactions with the actual people right in front of them. I have seen friends sitting together at a table, texting away while they ignore each other. How sad.
You were more than generous to not have fired her when she opted to leave. In essence, she chose to make her fellow staff members work short so she could have a snit over something ridiculous. I hope you put a disciplinary write-up in her file and let her know that a second offense (and continuing attitude) will have more serious repercussions.
Bravo to you for taking a stand.
Yep I can't stand that either, I have had hair dressers, gas station clerks, all kinds of customer service associates talk on the phone or to other employees the whole time while helping me. A couple weeks ago I was getting my hair cut at this beauty school. This school prides itself on being more like salon and training students to come out ready to work in high end places. I have always been impressed with the place. Well 2 weeks ago when I was getting my hair cut this girl going to school there also comes up to the girl cutting my hair and starts swearing and talking about how she could give a bleep bleep about so and so and how dumb her man was, this girl look totally not put together and even had a pic sticking out of her hair. I sat there completely shocked at how unprofessional this student was being. I too think it is so rude to just carry on conversations with other people when your working. I would even get uncomfortable when during clinicals a fellow student would come in with me while I was taking care of a patient and want to just talk about other things. I would try to cut it really short because I didn't feel it was appropriate in front of the patient.
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CareteamRN70
155 Posts
I am still a student with 10 months to go and it amazes me at the amount of my classmates that have cellphone/text devices out during class. The instructors have told us numerous times that texting during lectures would be grounds for expulsion from the class, but it still goes on. I really wonder how many are going to take this kind of behavior with them to the hospital floor. Maybe I am an age'ist (I'm 40) but it seems to be primarily the younger nurses (even tho I have seen some of our 50 yr old students playing games on their cellphones during class). I am comfortable with technology and I would like a PDA with nursing aps handy with med calculations, disease pathologies, etc but not for anything else. The other consideration with cell phones are HIPAA and privacy concerns. If I was a patient and saw my nurse in my room, on her cell phone my first thought would be is "does that phone have a camera or video recording?" and how do I know she hasn't used it?