job forcing app on personal phone

DallasRN · Jan 31, 2019

I'll be interested in reading the comments of the more experienced home health nurses. I have an issue with being required to use my personal phone and IPad although I haven't been required to download any apps. Personally I would have major issues with that. And being required to upgrade your phone at your expense? Seems a bit much to me.

The other issue, as I see it, is that we nurses continue to allow these companies and facilities to take advantage of us.

**PhyllisMSN, MSN, RN** · Jan 31, 2019

That is very interesting. If they’re not giving you a stipend for your personal phone I’m not sure they can require you to download an app or the jobs purpose.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 31, 2019

Could question. I wish I had facts to contribute.

I am just about the only person on the leadership team at my hospital who still carries a pager. Everyone else uses their personal phones. When asked or teased about it, I tell them that this is what the hospital provides me. If they want me to use a person phone, they'll have to provide me with one.

JKL33 · Jan 31, 2019

On 1/28/2019 at 7:48 PM, myjasmine said:
My job in home care is forcing us to download an app (crescendo connect) to our personal phones to track us (I think?) To verify our visits . I already hate that I use my personal number to call clients BC they contact me 24/7 ... and its my phone bill... I don't feel comfortable having my job have access to my location at all times , there is no policies that they have made up for us to sign, and when we complain that it takes data , they say that it takes a second to clock in and out . (I've never used this, wouldn't it need to be on the whole visit? Anyone know) . Oh and the patient will sign the touch screen of our phone (ewww.) This seems wrong and unfair to me .. am I over reacting ? It also requires me to update my phone (an old I phone 3 or 4 I haven't updated BC I heard updates slow your phone down. And I personally choose not to)
Maybe I'm the only one uneasy?

This is a predictable progression of what has already been tolerated.

These demands are possible because people acquiesce. People acquiesce because people need jobs.

Whether it is fair or not is unfortunately beside the point.

Whether or not the app uses much data or the phone model would need to be upgraded or patients would need to touch the phone are beside the point for me personally as well. I do not pay for a phone so that a business can demand to use it to conduct their business. Had this been part of the job description (same as with personal vehicle for business travel) I would feel differently because I would've already calculated how much it would cost me (financially and philosophically) vs. how much I wanted that job. But this, "oh, the policy is changing and now requires you to use [x] personal resources as part of our business plan" ?? - - NO.

It doesn't matter whether it is fair or not. You have to make a decision. Personally I would find a new job and go on about my life.

Oh - - this is key. At the next job, I would start by 1) not being on-call 24/7/365 and 2) not making my personal phone available for anything other than my employer communicating with me according to a normal course of business/employment.

caliotter3 · Jan 31, 2019

53 minutes ago, JKL33 said:
This is a predictable progression of what has already been tolerated.
These demands are possible because people acquiesce. People acquiesce because people need jobs.
Whether it is fair or not is unfortunately beside the point.
Whether or not the app uses much data or the phone model would need to be upgraded or patients would need to touch the phone are beside the point for me personally as well. I do not pay for a phone so that a business can demand to use it to conduct their business. Had this been part of the job description (same as with personal vehicle for business travel) I would feel differently because I would've already calculated how much it would cost me (financially and philosophically) vs. how much I wanted that job. But this, "oh, the policy is changing and now requires you to use [x] personal resources as part of our business plan" ?? - - NO.
It doesn't matter whether it is fair or not. You have to make a decision. Personally I would find a new job and go on about my life.
Oh - - this is key. At the next job, I would start by 1) not being on-call 24/7/365 and 2) not making my personal phone available for anything other than my employer communicating with me according to a normal course of business/employment.

This. I resent that my employers automatically expect me to maintain a cell phone so that I can literally be available to them at all hours. My phone currently is malfunctioning and they always make a remark about this. However, I have bought the last worthless cell phone for the near future. The broken phone works part of the time and I am making do with that. I call the employer often enough to keep in contact. If they want me to have a nice, "working" phone, then they can either provide me with one, or raise my pay so that I won't have to do without in order to buy yet another piece of junk.

poko, BSN, RN · Feb 1, 2019

What they are asking is not ok.

I work two HH jobs. The first, they give me a phone to use for everything: email, calls, logging in to an app. The second job gives me an iPad and I use my personal phone to make calls, but I can submit my bill and get $30 monthly.

The data usage you acquire will be considerable as you willl be using GPS, email, and the specific apps (especially since they are always running in the background). Are they assuming everyone has loads of data to blow? What if someone doesn’t have a phone to support the app?

Doesnt sound very smart of the company from a security perspective as well.

i would be weary.

DallasRN · Feb 1, 2019

Something came up yesterday, myjasmine, that made me think of your post and questions.

I asked my manager where they kept the hand sanitizer in the supply room and was told they don't supply it. Hmmmm - previous employer did. I expressed surprise that they don't supply it and was told, "You can buy it at the Dollar Store". Yep. I can. But it's just another example of an employer not furnishing the supplies we need. I can go through a bottle of that stuff in a busy week. So another $52/year out of my budget. My phone, my tablet and computer, my pens/papers/markers/clips/rolling bag. My fax and copy machine (for receiving referrals, etc.). My electricity. My b/p cuff/stethoscope/thermometer/pulse ox. And the list goes on.

But a tracking app on my phone? And requiring me to upgrade my phone for THEIR app? Nope.

LikeTheDeadSea, MSN, RN · Feb 1, 2019

My HH agency has an iPad (or a different brand tablet, idk the differences visually honestly) at the client's home with the app downloaded on it. We do our charting on it and put in our start/end times and the client signs it on there.

TAKOO01, BSN · Feb 6, 2019

I agree with JKL33. This is wrong, but it happens because we tolerate it

How badly do you need this job? I would say start looking for new opportunities immediately.

guest1048932 · Feb 18, 2019

What an interesting question!

First, check your company policy and your employment requirements regarding use of personal devices for company use. If you are required to download apps, supply and use your personal phone, and use technology as instructed, you're out of luck there. If it's in the requirements, you have agreed to meet those requirements by taking that job on. Now, you say you didn't sign anything in regards to policies. Double check your company policies to be 100% sure that there isn't some sneaky thing hiding somewhere! Some companies get around supplying employees with company devices by saying, "Employee is expected to use technology as required". It is a vague statement, but can arguably mean anything from the work photocopier to your own personal phone. As a rule though, if your company expects you to be downloading apps and using your personal phone for work, there would be a policy for it.

Second, if no policies exist on using personal phones for work, then your company does not have a leg to stand on when it comes to telling you that you must download and use an app that takes up data on your personal phone. If there is no policy on this, ask management where it is in writing that you are expected to have clients call your personal cell phone and download and use an app using your personal data. If management cannot show you, then you have every right to refuse to download it because your personal phone is yours, and you should not have to buy into a data plan, and possibly a new device, for work when they have no policy or previous requirement to do so.

It is your decision now. Do you upgrade your phone, bring sanitizer wipes to wipe it with, continue to have clients call you 24/7, and use a data plan all at your personal cost? Or, do you find a job doing something else?

All that aside, I think using personal devices to store client information is a mistake. I think that client privacy and confidentiality is at risk by having the Crescendo Connect app on your personal phone. What happens to client information if your personal phone is lost, stolen, or hacked? While these issues still exist with a company device, company devices usually have systems and apps in place such as theft-prevention, firewalls to deter hackers (or something to that effect), and GPS tracking.