Facebook while on the clock?

I agree with Rnandsoccermom! Simply do not do it!

The job deserves to have 100% of your attention and responsiveness while on the clock. My employer will not tolerate it.

Some places have firewalls to block sites, some don't. As long as your work is done, who cares? I do agree that you shouldn't be blatant with it in front of families, it's unprofessional. So when they come out of the room I usually toggle to my e-chart on the monitor and greet them You do, however, need to be sensitive to families of a critically ill patient who are under much duress already.

When I worked the floor, I never had time to surf the net, though we could. In the neuro ICU, with a lower pt ratio, you might have some really easy walkie talkie SAH pts that have to stay in the ICU for 10-14 days because they're high risk for vasospasm or something...you could have someone really easy, have a great night, then they go south the next night and have a super crazy busy night. Like everyone else said, you take the nights you have time to do that extra stuff as a blessing and retribution for the nights you give 200% of yourself and don't eat, sit, chart, or pee until 7:00.

I've always wondered if updating Facebook while on the clock could be called into play if a legal situation arose. For instance, patient dies (unrelated to care issues), but family is angry, says care was inadequate. Could the nurse's Facebook/social media posts be subpoenaed...as in, "See??? They weren't focused on care; they were posting on Facebook?"

Just curious. It's enough to make me avoid it.

I agree it's a problem. Those freaking call bells go off whenever I try to update my status.

In fact right now, some guy wants his pain meds.

Lucky for me I have a 1/2 hour window in which to give them.

Give pain meds or update my status...u kidding right? lol:roflmao:

I think that some of the previous posters are way off base when they say it is ok to look on facebook during down time. I think it is unprofessional to be on your cell phone at work and even more unprofessional to be "browsing the web" or on facebook at work. The OP is a student and has noticed this.... so it must be quite obvious. I am sure she is not prying into other peoples' business. If it is obvious to her it is obvious to patient's families that walk by and see it as well. If I were visiting someone in the hospital and saw all the staff on facebook I would think negatively of their professionalism and question the care that was truly being provided...wouldn't we all? Every job I have ever worked at, even Dunkin Donuts didnt allow cell phone use because it is unprofessional and there is always something to do. If you are a manager you know there is always something to be done and that you can find something for everyone to do. I also remember a time when I was in the ER with my fiance, and we could see the nurse aid at the nursing station shopping for mirrors online. We also had noticed the manager walking behind her also watching her not working, then ask her to clean a few rooms. The nurse aid lied to her and said she had just gotten there...when we knew and the manager knew she had been there a good 30 minutes looking at mirrors. So people do neglect their work and are lazy. I absolutely cannot stand watching people at work hunched over in the corner on the cells looking at their emails or on facebook. People barely communicate with the people in the same room with them anymore, it is always the cell. Breaks are a different story.

I have seen people get fired for using FB while at work. It depends on the hospital policy. I personally don't do it, but I think we are all adults and should use our best judgement in these situations.

I love coming in after nurses who spend all day on facebook. Love it!

I agree it's a problem. Those freaking call bells go off whenever I try to update my status.

In fact right now, some guy wants his pain meds.

Lucky for me I have a 1/2 hour window in which to give them.

Haha! That made my night! :)

At our hospital, Facebook is blocked on the network ... but that does not stop nurses from checking their phones. As long as work is done and patient care is completed and they are sleeping (esp at night), there is no harm I feel. Don't judge until you're a working nurse!

Some corporations have a software that know exactly when your browsing the net. They wont tell you util you're in trouble...so be careful.

I can tell you from many years of experience and working at many hospitals as a traveler, patient care is not any better because the hospital has facebook blocked.