Nurse tracking devices

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How do you guys feel about wearing tracking devices on your person? Your location displays on a computer screen where you are at inside the hospital at all times.

Thanks

I guess I should add that our system only activates our emergency bell, it is not attached to our call light system. We do not hear every time a patient rings the call bell when we are in other patients rooms. That is why it is a good emergency system, since it doesn't disrupt routine pt care, unless there is an emergency and we gladly interupt teaching breastfeeding, if wehave to rush someone to the OR for a cord prolapse .

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Timothy, that's a wonderful letter you sent to your management.

You said earlier that you quit that job; did they respond to this letter?

The implications of this tracking device should scare everybody.

The reply I got: "Nurses don't dictate policy."

And then I was told to stop referring to it as a 'tracking device' and to stop stirring up the staff over it.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.
The reply I got: "Nurses don't dictate policy."

And then I was told to stop referring to it as a 'tracking device' and to stop stirring up the staff over it.

~faith,

Timothy.

Geez.

Still, good for you!

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While the arguments against the tracking devices are all good points, I still like the one we use on our unit. It really does aid our communication. The first hospital I even worked at had no tracking system at all, they overhead paged everyone for everything. Talk about pts not being able to rest! All we ever heard was "so and so, go to rm 17". It was so frustrating b/c the person paging us couldn't say over the intercom why we're needed. Makes it very hard to prioritize things when you're needed in 2 or more places at once. A year later, we got the Hill-Rom system, and our lives changed for the better! Sure, we all grumbled about lack of privacy and such, but then we realized how much better we were able to function. We all ran non-stop on that unit so even if management wanted to track us, they could see that were truly not getting breaks/lunches and had to clock out late regularly.

The unit I work on now is a very busy PCU that is comprised of two very long hallways. It is so nice to be able to find someone to help or talk to just by looking at the locater on the wall. It's also been nice in staff emergencies without having to pull the "code" alarm. And BTW, we "disappear" from the tracking system when we leave the unit. At the end of the day, most of us leave our locators in the break room lockers so we don't lose them and get charged $75.

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Specializes in ER.
Long post: this was my official reply to management's implementation of a tracking system at my former job:

Timothy.

:yeahthat:

I am speechless! What a great letter!! I have been an RN for 34 long years, and have resigned from jobs on principle. We must stand up for what we know is right, and not always go along with the flow just because it is not worth the fight. All I can say is....it is always worth the fight.

If our ancestors did not think it was worth the fight, we would still be British subjects.

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INtoFL RN,

We use the Hill-Rom system at my hospital too, but I don't like it much. There is a considerable lag, and as unit coordinator on a peds unit, I don't often take the chance of calling into a sleeping baby's room to contact a nurse that may have been there 2 minutes ago, but isn't any longer! I usually use it in the capacity of "where were they last?" and start my searching there. When people are in the bathroom, our Hill-Rom reads "storage", the last place they locate before the bathroom! It is rather fun to tell spouses they'll have to wait a minute because whoever they want to talk to is in storage!

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Specializes in Critical Care.
While the arguments against the tracking devices are all good points, I still like the one we use on our unit. It really does aid our communication. The first hospital I even worked at had no tracking system at all, they overhead paged everyone for everything. Talk about pts not being able to rest! All we ever heard was "so and so, go to rm 17". It was so frustrating b/c the person paging us couldn't say over the intercom why we're needed. Makes it very hard to prioritize things when you're needed in 2 or more places at once. A year later, we got the Hill-Rom system, and our lives changed for the better! Sure, we all grumbled about lack of privacy and such, but then we realized how much better we were able to function. We all ran non-stop on that unit so even if management wanted to track us, they could see that were truly not getting breaks/lunches and had to clock out late regularly.

The unit I work on now is a very busy PCU that is comprised of two very long hallways. It is so nice to be able to find someone to help or talk to just by looking at the locater on the wall. It's also been nice in staff emergencies without having to pull the "code" alarm. And BTW, we "disappear" from the tracking system when we leave the unit. At the end of the day, most of us leave our locators in the break room lockers so we don't lose them and get charged $75.

How is this quarter million dollar system more effective for the purposes you cite then maybe a tenth of that for cell phones?

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

We have done fine in all the places I have worked without them. I would just as soon see admin not spend needless $$$ on such things, when there are needs that are much greater than this for our unit and the hospital (like, umm, better staffing or newer monitors/equipment that does not break down all the dang time!). Seems silly to me, expenditure on such things. But hey, that's me. I don't need a pin, collar or beeper to remind me my time is not my own at work. I know that already as a professional nurse. Seems to me the "scammers" will continue to get away with goofing off even with these devices and the hard-working ones will be the ones least appreciated at the very same time. You cannot measure the quality of care with such devices; this seems so evident to me. Like Tim said, there are many other factors involved in quality patient care that cannot be measured with such devices.

I have also learned, some of the best, most sensible and enduring changes in policy and procedures were made when NURSES were at the table, included in making input to such things. Silly me.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Tim, we agree rarely, but your letter is right-on in my book. You are so articulate.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

I'm currently a student, and I work at a local hospital as an aide. The hospital I work at does not use these devices.

I did do clinicals last semester at a hospital that used them, and I LOVED them! It was great to be able to find "my" nurse without pestering other staff or standing around waiting and possibly missing stuff!

I don't know how I'd feel about wearing one- I hear you on the "big brother" concerns, but I had such a great experience with them...

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Specializes in MICU.

I wouldn't wear one. I mean, how many doctors/RT's/housekeepers have been asked to wear these kind of devices?

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Specializes in ICU,ER.
I wouldn't wear one. I mean, how many doctors/RT's/housekeepers have been asked to wear these kind of devices?

Exactly.

Why are only nursing staff required to wear these things?

They are putting this system in our ER right now. I have a feeling it's not going to go over so well. You know how we crotchety ER nurses are...;)

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