HAve you noticed an increase in your coworkers on facebook, or texting CONSTANTLY on their cell phones?
So much that when you have a pt. going bad, and in front of your coworkers ( who are on the computer, giggling and texting too) and you are asking the unit sec. to place orders for a STAT stuff while you are on the phone with the doctor....that these coworkers ignore you, only to ask you later " You had a pt going bad, why didn't you ask for help??" The same coworkers who have no obligation for teamwork, and are too busy to help you when they seem to have PLENTY of freetime to help out? What is the appropriate way to handle this? I have already mentioned several times that they are too loud at the nurses station, and suggested they are on facebook way too much. Now I am the bad guy because I reported above incident to my supervisor, and now one of the nurses is playing the "i'm-not-talking-to -you" game. I feel bad she got singled out, and yes it should have been handled better, but spending 4 hours a nite on facebook is ridiculous. And it sets an example for our new staff! Plus I am so embarrassed when pts family members come to the desk and my coworkers are watching you tube and laughing loudly. And my favorite, texting while in a pts. room. Sigh......
You hit the nail on the head with this post. I too work in ED, have several co-workers just like this - cannot see anything that is going on past their own noses. Ambulances go right by where they are charting (our nurses station is all glass) and then have the audacity to say "I didn't see them come in". Makes my blood boil. Have confronted them in a nice way - got me nowhere so I changed my shifts so that I don't have to work with them anymore. Now, some other poor nurse will have to cope with this. WHAT IS WRONG WITH NURSES - DO THEY HATE THEIR JOBS THAT MUCH THAT THEY PUT ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE ONES WHO DO WORK AND DO THIS INTENTIONALLY????
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.
Yes and tell them to stop unless they are on a break. The hospital computer locks us out of a lot of stuff. But this cell phone texting stuff is over the top.
Monday we had a nursing meeting in hospice (we aren't based in the hospital) & our manager brought this up as a problem. We all looked at her as if she had 2 heads so she explained that this was going on in our hospital & RN's were listening to their ipods while working also. It amazed all of us that administration would allow this to go on. I must admit that all of us are 40+ in years so maybe it's a generational thing, but still . . . what ever happened to the good ol' work ethic in nursing.
You hit the nail on the head with this post. I too work in ED, have several co-workers just like this - cannot see anything that is going on past their own noses. Ambulances go right by where they are charting (our nurses station is all glass) and then have the audacity to say "I didn't see them come in". Makes my blood boil. Have confronted them in a nice way - got me nowhere so I changed my shifts so that I don't have to work with them anymore. Now, some other poor nurse will have to cope with this. WHAT IS WRONG WITH NURSES - DO THEY HATE THEIR JOBS THAT MUCH THAT THEY PUT ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE ONES WHO DO WORK AND DO THIS INTENTIONALLY????
You just made me laugh - as in a "knowing" laugh. I remember one day a patient who was continuously on a call light - the room was in front of the nurse that had that patient - there was a CNA and another nurse on that end of the hall, as there were on my end of the hall. This call light had gone off for about 10 minutes, with the nurse at her computer, purposely ignoring the call light. I went to see what the person wanted, went and told her "look, I know you can hear/see the call light, because I'm at the end of the hall and I heard/saw it - here's what your patient wants... "blah blah blah." She wasn't thankful, but hey, needed to be said, right?
It is just laziness, I think, and maybe burnout to some degree, but how can you ignore what, oftentimes, in the ER is a CRITICAL patient or a nurse working with a critical patient and OBVIOUSLY needs help, but is too busy drawing up meds to ask for it?? I've been that nurse, as I'm sure you have to - charge nurses SHOULD step in and help, but we all know that sometimes this doesn't happen, as there might be another even going on at the same time. That's what coworkers are for..... I have worked in different ER's and different shifts.... my mom (who's an old school ER nurse, but no more in the ER, so has to live vicariously now =) believes they're jaded. I get irritated and annoyed at the process, management, etc., but would never, when it boils down to the nuts and bolts of life and death (act or not act), would I bow out and let my coworkers sink when I am the lifejacket.
I can tell you would to. Glad to see there are others out there that are fed up with this too! :)
Monday we had a nursing meeting in hospice (we aren't based in the hospital) & our manager brought this up as a problem. We all looked at her as if she had 2 heads so she explained that this was going on in our hospital & RN's were listening to their ipods while working also. It amazed all of us that administration would allow this to go on. I must admit that all of us are 40+ in years so maybe it's a generational thing, but still . . . what ever happened to the good ol' work ethic in nursing.
I worked near a guy who would bring in his music with speakers! I would turn it down, shuffle his music, and sometimes turn it off when he was gone. haa!!!! He was strange - how that was ever tolerated for as long as he was on his travel assignment, I don't know - but as long as he was next to me, I wasn't going to hear it - distracting me from hearing monitors/call lights, etc. What is WRONG with people??? Also, as a side note, why do some nurses come onto a shift and start shutting lights off??? It's not nighty night, people! Some of us need to see at work!!!!!
I agree that texting and cell phone use is getting out of hand in the work enviroment. I personally am usually too busy to even think of using my phone at work. If I do make a call, I do while on break or lunch. Everyone has occasional life problems with kids etc. But to have the phone attached to the end of your hand is another thing. As for asking for help, I am one of those that find it hard to ask others for help- I guess it makes me feel as if I can't manage my own patients. I have always been willing to help others whenever needed and am surprised at how others respond when help is offered- often getting the response- you would really do that for me? aren't we all in this together?
Call me naive but I was always under the impression that cellphones and other personal electronics (or access to personal things online) are not allowed while you're on the clock? Even when I had clinical rotations as a CNA student, I was not allowed to have any personal devices on me while on the floor but then we were able to check for messages and such during our 5 min breaks or during meals--which I thought was plenty generous.
I was also told that if someone needed to reach me in an emergency, that they should call the hospital desk and/or my instructor. Otherwise, they will leave messages on my voicemail--and I did 12 hour day shifts!
I guess that rule doesn't get enforced that easily everywhere. That is a waste of time and can potentially put patients in compromising positions because their nurses and staff are distracted.
This matter has to be taken in to hand immediately across the country not just at the OPs hospital. Management has to step up to the plate and let people know there will be repercussions. This is very unprofessional behavior. When people are texting and taking pictures with cell phones there are big time possiblities of Hipaa violations. You never know when someone is going to put something on Facebook or such that causes problems. It is in the best interest of management to deal with this before they find their institution on the evening news. I am suprised it is still going on.
I agree completely. Very unprofessional on all levels. It does need to be addressed everywhere, and by all managers, ect. My dh and I both keep our cells in our pocket, or somewhere close, and keep it on silence. That way our 11 yr old can get us in an emergency, but we stress the IN EMERGENCY part.
The powers that be do need to get a handle on it, like you said, before their hospitals end up on the news and fined or something. It only takes one minute for a bored staff member taking a pic with a cell phone to cause a lot of trouble.
Facebook texting at work is indeed a growing phenomenon. I am a new grad RN, and my co-workers seem very professional; I have never witnessed anyone texting or using the computer for other purposes than patient's care. This problem seems to be prevalent among the new grad community. Most of my counterparts have smart phones, and I have noticed that most of their posts occur during their work shift. I don't know if this happens because they're eager to share their work experience, but quite frankly, I am against texting while doing anything else ( working, driving, talking to people and so forth). I am also really concerned about the fact that patient confidentiality can easily be broken. For eg, a few days ago I read this post: " I am watching the superball from pt # room"... Seriously, management should step over and firmly address this issue.
I am brand new on the job (3 days) and have already saw nurse aides hiding in the bathing room texting, I dont get it either, there is no place for it. Save it for after work, patients come first! garyg
And some of those "texters" would claim that even if they talk about their patients in their posts, they didn't mention their workplace. Really? What about the work info listed on their profile page? Lately, I came accross pictures of a nurse with several patients...I doubt that those patients knew that they would be facebooked!
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gardengal1, ASN, RN
82 Posts
You hit the nail on the head with this post. I too work in ED, have several co-workers just like this - cannot see anything that is going on past their own noses. Ambulances go right by where they are charting (our nurses station is all glass) and then have the audacity to say "I didn't see them come in". Makes my blood boil. Have confronted them in a nice way - got me nowhere so I changed my shifts so that I don't have to work with them anymore. Now, some other poor nurse will have to cope with this. WHAT IS WRONG WITH NURSES - DO THEY HATE THEIR JOBS THAT MUCH THAT THEY PUT ADDITIONAL STRESS ON THE ONES WHO DO WORK AND DO THIS INTENTIONALLY????