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......
a couple of our nurses got suspended recently for being on facebook all night at work. it was fairly obvious because they kept taking pictures of each other and posting them on facebook . . . . one of them is in graduate school and the suspension means he won't get tuition reimbursement for this semester. he's incensed that he was "singled out" for "unreasonable punishment." but really -- what do you expect when you spend all night on facebook and allmost everyone you work with is on your friends list?
i was shocked to see a nurse admitting a patient from the or to the sicu while chatting on her cellphone tucked up against her shoulder.
the texting, though -- i'm not always sure it is texting. i have reference material on my iphone, and what you see as texting may be me entering in the name of a drug to check compatibility with other drugs, setting a timer so i remember to unclamp my og tube after the meds i've given, putting the date and time of that workshop into my calendar, adding something to my task list or actually texting the surgeon to tell him about the chest tube output. it is absolutely not me facebooking!
exactly, i own a android phone which rocks... (just throwing that out there lol) but yes i do use my phone at work cause it has tons of medical apps that im constantly refering to. but my "social networking is for my break time or if i have no patients or paper work" or if im resetting a room and no one is there my text info scrolls so i can make a judgment call dose this need a quick one line answer.
but it amazes me that grown professional people need to be monitored about this kind of thing, what happened to that thing called best jugdement?
I honestly don't care what nurses do on the computer or on their phones as long as they get their work done and respond to call lights and help coworkers when needed. I have a problem with nurses who are on the computer or on the phone but ignore the call bells or patient needs. I also can't stand nurses/aides that answer their phones in the patient's room. If its an emergency please step out and answer the phone elsewhere. And please put your phone on vibrate if you are going to carry it around!!!
I also don't understand why some nurses write about patients on their facebook status...not cool. I saw a nurse write about her patients being "crazy" that day and another nurse went on to advise her to knock them out with some narcotic and she responded in affirmative...seriously? I was mortified:eek:
The text craze is out of control where I work. Like, last year it was the bring your own laptop or netbook craze and spend half the night online. There were nights where we couldn't check our work email, with the actual work stuff on it, because of people playing games and such on the work computers. Forget getting help, even if you asked for it. "Hi I have 3 patients sitting in poop, can anybody help?" Yeah right. That bunch didn't even look for a tech!
There was a big hooha about the laptops so people concentrated for a while on the work computers for the internet thing. Yippee. Then along came the smartphone craze and now people are doing almost everything they did on their laptops, only on a smaller machine, and still ignoring the patients. My shift starts with organizing the papers, sign all the papers, take vitals and hurry the heck up to get meds and put some folks to bed. Their shift starts with cleaning the desk, ordering dinner, eating dinner, play on the iphone... I'm too busy working to be able to figure out when the actual patient care is done for the rest of the patients. There are times when the nurse station is host to a concert when someone decides their music and the iphone speakers are appropriate for all of us. HELLO Y'ALL, NOT EVERYBODY LISTENS TO HIPHOP. I barely know what Beyonce looks like and I thought eminem was candy, come to find out it makes my blood pressure go up.
So. I have always been a big book person, I normally have a paperback in the bag wherever I am at and it's a downtime thing you can easily pick up and put right away again. My dilemma is this: I bought an e-reader. It makes sense to me, if I wasn't in the mood for what I was reading yesterday I can change to another book in two seconds. It's also got the pickup/put down fast quality that I like. BUT it's electronic and thus people want to nag me (oops sorry, talk to me) about what it is, ooh how does it work, etc. It's like I got an iphone type thing that's got the interest of the cool folks. Except, of course, that it's for reading and I can't effing read when people who already annoy the snot out of me, talk to me and get in my face while I'm reading.
My question is, have I crossed the line and put myself in the exact category of doing that which I despise? It's a book, just in different format, and it's not more engrossing, to me, than the paperback I had last week. It's not noisy, and is too large to carry in a pocket, and it won't text or play games (that I am aware of). I'm actually sort of hoping the kindle will not catch on in my current work environment.
the texting, though -- i'm not always sure it is texting. i have reference material on my iphone, and what you see as texting may be me entering in the name of a drug to check compatibility with other drugs, setting a timer so i remember to unclamp my og tube after the meds i've given, putting the date and time of that workshop into my calendar, adding something to my task list or actually texting the surgeon to tell him about the chest tube output. it is absolutely not me facebooking!
this. technology can be used to make a nurse's day much more efficient and to have admin ban cell phones due to indiscretions in social use can put legitimate users at a disadvantage. that's what ticks me off.
I think texting at work, whatever type, is very disrespectful to one's employer (the Public esp. nurses) and in addition to one's coworkers. Sorry but this is an example of the type of work ethic this up-and-coming generation has come to - it's terrible...
This. Technology can be used to make a nurse's day much more efficient and to have admin ban cell phones due to indiscretions in social use can put legitimate users at a disadvantage. That's what ticks me off.
Who gave you permission to use this sort of technology, and does each nurse have access to what you are using -- quit trying to reinvent the wheel!
Who gave you permission to use this sort of technology, and does each nurse have access to what you are using -- quit trying to reinvent the wheel!
What? You make absolutely no sense. Many, many nurses (and managers and techs and doctors and nursing instructors) use this technology...they pay for it out of their own pocket.
Do you also think computer charting was reinventing the wheel?
Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care, Cardiac, EMS.
What? You make absolutely no sense. Many, many nurses (and managers and techs and doctors and nursing instructors) use this technology...they pay for it out of their own pocket.
Do you also think computer charting was reinventing the wheel?
It's called sarcasm. I think it was meant as a joke.
Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..
I consider publishing my patient's name, story, etc. a breach of "Hippa". If given permission by the patient, for example, seeking possible donors in the case of terminal disease, then by all means. Other than that, we are bound to keep the patient's privacy.
Ohhh this is a hot button issue for me! I have a medical assistant working with me, who is a hot head and every time I have to discipline her I fear I'll find my car tires flat. So, my director has taken all of the disciplinary actions with this person on herself. I can speak with her about patient care matters but not her personal behavior. She is phone NUTS!!! I understand personal phone calls are never going away and am tolerant of family members calling is needed in moderation. This lovely lady thinks it's okay to tell a patient to proceed to the clinic room while she opens her ringing cell and flys out of the clinic! GRRRRR. I have a son who has health issues and he texts me from time to time for help but now I'm not using my phone at all so that she can be properly handled. That thing rings or beeps at least 6 times a day and she gets the same amount of calls to the clinic. Sadly, my director is not keen on discussing it with her either.... she pulled her out, gave her a verbal warning and it went off as soon as she entered the clinic. I've got people complaining to me that they are being punished because this one is very unprofessional.
I have been reading all of the posts about nurses being on facebook, texting, using cell phones etc. but not seeing any responses about how to handle the situation without being the "tattle tale" or bad guy when reporting the problem. Are there solutions out there? What has your facility done to solve the problem. I have seen people fiqure out how to get around the "blocks" put on sites. How can administration prevent wrongful use of workplace computers for personal entertainment other than firing people? They would have to fire 80% of the nurses I work with!!! Can they legally take away PTO or ovetime pay? Will JACHO ever consider this a "patient safety" issue? What is the solution?
scrubs09
37 Posts
exactly, i own a android phone which rocks... (just throwing that out there lol) but yes i do use my phone at work cause it has tons of medical apps that im constantly refering to. but my "social networking is for my break time or if i have no patients or paper work" or if im resetting a room and no one is there my text info scrolls so i can make a judgment call dose this need a quick one line answer.
but it amazes me that grown professional people need to be monitored about this kind of thing, what happened to that thing called best jugdement?