Irony regarding cellphone use at work

Nurses Relations

Published

Our unit got another one of our periodic reminders to quit looking at our phones at work. So, my last shift I made a concerted effort to comply. Yes, I'm as guilty as the whippersnappers!

What do you know, when I got home after midnight I'd missed a text from the assistant manager about working the next day, lol. So sad. I would have replied quickly if I was checking my phone frequently at work like normal...

I apologized the next day when I replied that I couldn't work.

Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
I work house supervision now so have to carry my work cell phone with me at work. When people are busy I try and do what I can to help out with patient care. I don't want to get totally rusty with the hands on stuff! I feel like I need to explain myself all the time to patients when I'm trying to draw blood and my phone is ringing in my pocket the entire time.

I know that feeling! It's the same for me, as house sup, and I always feel bad when doing an intake assessment and my "leash" starts ringing. Though the patients on the floor actually recognize the phone by its bright blue case. They know who's supervisor by who has "that blue phone" and I'm never sure if that's a good thing or not. ;)

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LOL. Isn't it funny how well educated nursing professionals (and nursing assistants) aren't allowed to use their phones at work, but the same rules don't apply to the thousands of other people that work in the hospital? I'm not being cynical here, but truly hospital nursing is probably one of the most hyper-controlled jobs I've ever done. Which is why I don't do it any more :up: . I remember working in a large clinic which had several hundred employees of all varieties (MDs, NPs, RNs, LPNs, clerks, xray techs, administrators, etc). And guess who were the only people that wore uniforms? The RNs and LPNs. So this is why we went to college? Of course we should be professional and responsible with our phone use, but banning it during a 12.5 hour shift is silly.

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OMG. Agree totally!! Use of private cell phones by too many nurses/cnas etc..is horrendous..... not only in plain sight of everyone, but in Pt. rooms, or hiding in Pt bathrooms, or stairwells while patients, MDs are left unattended. Time spent on private telephone calls is stealing time meant for patient care.
I agree that professionalism is important but work is a huge part of life and having strict rules about phones, internet, facebook, socializing, or whatever really can lead to a very oppressive work environment. When I worked in the ER, I would see about everyone logged in to Facebook wasting time. As someone that doesn't use FB, I found it odd and an unnecessary distraction. But I could also say that having a friendly conversation with your coworker is also not 'work' and a waste. But are we going to cut out talking to our friends and coworkers as well? I think it makes more sense to train staff on professionalism and customer service rather than micromanage every little behavior.
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Agree..oldpsychnurse..

I, personally, would not permit any cell phone use in the building.

Zero tolerance..problem solved!

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Let's sing it together: "Isn't it ironic....don't ya think?"

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I do not carry a smartphone. I carry an old-school flip-phone. Problem avoided. I can still receive texts while at work, but that's it.

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Specializes in Nephrology Home Therapies, Wound Care, Foot Care..

Just another point of view- I wear hearing aids that are controlled on bmy phone. No other way to control them. If there are a ton of alarms going off, I MUSR adjust. If it's quiet, and my pt is essay down there, I need to adjust. Hearing aids are technologically amazing these days. So please be kind, you never know why someone does something. And yes, my mgr and colleagues know about it.

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Specializes in Oncology.
Just another point of view- I wear hearing aids that are controlled on bmy phone. No other way to control them. If there are a ton of alarms going off, I MUSR adjust. If it's quiet, and my pt is essay down there, I need to adjust. Hearing aids are technologically amazing these days. So please be kind, you never know why someone does something. And yes, my mgr and colleagues know about it.

I use a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor that sends the readings to my phone. My phone is my only display for it. I need my phone to see my continuous glucose readings. There are certainly legitimate reasons people need their phones on them.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I have had problems with staff using their cellphones to take pictures of the chart as displayed on the monitor, for purposes of breaching privacy. I had to write a 'don't do that' policy. There have been some reported cases on this throughout the country, some of which involved celebrities and staff selling the celebrities medical information to the media.

That should be instant termination.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
That's a big assumption saying that the facility provides all the reference materials needed.

Like the chronically walking away drug reference books.

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What BDTD said.

Please, there are enough computers around. Plus pharmacy. Plus actual paper bound books in reference.

I love my cell phone. I rarely use it for anything even remotely work related.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Corrections.

Personally, I find communication from management via text to be highly unprofessional ESPECIALLY since they don't want you using your cellphone while on duty.

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