In-house Cell Phones

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jul 13, 2001

I know I will be in the minority here, but I would like to work in a hospital that was able to track all those things. Mainly because I've always been happier when I could just answer the phone where I was instead of traipsing back and forth to the desk, or waiting for a return call when there are three family members at the desk wondering why I sitting on my butt instead of tending to their loved one. I actually "borrow" a cell phone from the ICU when my shift (as a house supervisor) is nuts, or if there is an emergency in a specific room, with milling bodies and equipment making it hard to get to the bedside phone.

About the tracking badge, I worked as a floor RN at a hospital that used those, and they can be used to prove that you answered a bell immediately, not after 30 min as the patient says you did. Also can prove that you were in the room q5min to assess a patient whose family claims neglect after they fall out of bed- you get my drift. The badges tracked when you left the floor but not where you went afterwards, so I did not think my privacy on breaks was an issue. Basically, if you are doing (or not doing) your job the badges will back you up. Also a lot easier to find people on the unit. Where I worked, the nurses reactions to the badges and extra information they provided depended a lot how accountable they were to begin with.

BrandyBSN · Jul 13, 2001

I would love the cell phone. When I worked as a CNA before starting college, i wore a pager. We had a 50 bed med-surg unit as well as a 46 bed SNF, and there were only 2 CNAs working at a time. I spent a lot of time having to run back to the station to find out why i was paged. We couldnt use the phones in the patients rooms because the voice carried into the room was a breach of confidentiality. I hope the hospital I will work in next year has a better system than pagers.

nar-S · Jul 19, 2001

i agree...cell phones are good...but please give 2 phones for doctors...the 1 they ignore, the other one to annoy them and hopefully answer pages...abouth the electronic device??? :confused: that's too much...place those in places that really matters...like newborn tags...better yet why not place sensormatic devices on baby tags...like the one at the mall??? at least you'd know that it's not time for them to get out of the hospitals when they beep...that would prevent baby thieves... hey! not a bad idea huh?

moonshadeau, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APN, NP, CNS · Jul 19, 2001

our facility has the in-house cordless phones with our own extensions. They have their nice days and their not so nice days. It is very nice to have the doctor call right to you. Charts are also at the bedside so going up to the desk is a rare occasion now. They do ring all the time, almost always while you are in a patients room. How rude are you when you have to answer your phone in the middle of a conversation with your patient. My biggest pet peeve is when the unit sec transfer family directly without letting me know. I may be right in the middle of putting in a foley or an iv or transfering a patient from bed to chair. That is just my two cents anyway.

imaRN · Jul 19, 2001

Well my hosp. does have electronic devices for newborns(worth every penny) but not for nurses. When a newborn is missing or the alarm goes off it is called a "Condition White" and it really is sad to hear it,... everyone worries until we hear that everything is OK..... about the tracking of Nurses........ha ha ha ......let 'em bet they won't be able to keep up!!!!..........isn't it just so amazing how much money a hosp. will waste on needless junk?......they are such "suckers for marketing!" ...imaRN