What is it with nurses and cell phones? Just a vent.

Nurses Professionalism

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Recently my hospital has upgraded or introduced multiple new computer programs that have required almost every level of nurse from bedside to administration to attend class in order to use the new technology. I have assisted in teaching numerous classes and before each we ask that cell phones be silenced and put away, that if anyone must make or take a call or text to please exit the room and return when done, and not to text while in class or you will be asked to leave. Despite this every class we have multiple violators and the majority when asked to leave are not embarrassed but become angry when asked to follow rules and be respectful of educators and classmates. I can't say it's any one age group since I've had 22 year olds to 70 year olds as the culprits. Sometimes I just have to shake my head at what passes for professionalism these days. This is just a vent, not looking for validation. Have a great day!

Specializes in ICU.

I agree, completely unprofessional, and just plain RUDE!! Kudos to you, bluedevil.

Specializes in Emergency.

Yes...cell phones..the modern day pacifier...these people are simply like little babies in the cradle with their bright shiny object/mobile/pacifier keeping their insecurities at bay. I have no pity for them and think, like smoking, that cell phone use must be banned in a professional health care setting. I used to give people the benefit of the doubt...no more. I am getting to "old" and need to conserve my energy.

Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.

Have to disagree with BlueDevil....

I am on call frequently for work.

I have 6 children, half of whom go to school.

I have a stay at home hubby who has 2 children under 3 yrs old at home.

If my cell phone beeps during an appointment, I'm checking it. I'm certainly not going to interrupt your time for something trivial, but there are times that I MUST be reached.

If you walked out on me during an appt because I checked a txt or to see who was trying to call.....truly, I'm speechless. I've had doctors tell me that it was ok to check my phone when it beeped (not rang obnoxiously) during appts before.

Understand, I'm not saying that you or any other provider should be held up while someone finishes a non-essential conversation, nor am I advocating using your cell phone at work or during meetings/inservices. Cell phone use in patient care areas is an automatic write up where I work. But I'm definitely not going to say it's ok for a provider to walk out on a patient simply because their cell phone goes off during an appointment.

JMHO.

1 Votes
Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

Well, they apparently have a sign forbidding cell phones beyond a certain point in the office. Maybe your doctor's office doesn't have one but hers does. She's just enforcing rules. Maybe if more people enforced rules people wouldn't be so inconsiderate all the time in general and not act like rules are for all the other little people and not them.

Specializes in Gerontological Nursing, Acute Rehab.
Well, they apparently have a sign forbidding cell phones beyond a certain point in the office. Maybe your doctor's office doesn't have one but hers does. She's just enforcing rules. Maybe if more people enforced rules people wouldn't be so inconsiderate all the time in general and not act like rules are for all the other little people and not them.

I'm sure they do, and the reason they probably have to is because most people lack common sense and will use their phones inappropriately and inconsiderately (exception: areas where cell phone use can interfere with electronic monitoring). That doesn't mean that we should lack common sense as well. If someone's phone beeps once during an appointment, you don't just up and walk out on them. However, if the phone keeps going off, or if the patient expects you to wait for them while they finish up their conversation, then by all means do what you have to do. I'm just saying, indicriminately walking out on pts because a cell phone goes off is not the answer.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

I can't think of any instance where I MUST be reached in the next 5 minutes. I can't think of a circumstance where I would not be able to wait the short time until I was done assessing a patient, being interviewed by my doctor, or wait for an opportune moment to discreetly step out from a classroom before I check a text message or return a call.

As for the OP, I cannot even believe that people would not find it unprofessional to be on the cellphones/texting during a class...just blows me away.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
I'm sure they do, and the reason they probably have to is because most people lack common sense and will use their phones inappropriately and inconsiderately (exception: areas where cell phone use can interfere with electronic monitoring). That doesn't mean that we should lack common sense as well. If someone's phone beeps once during an appointment, you don't just up and walk out on them. However, if the phone keeps going off, or if the patient expects you to wait for them while they finish up their conversation, then by all means do what you have to do. I'm just saying, indicriminately walking out on pts because a cell phone goes off is not the answer.

I thought she said the pt was using the phone or texting, but I didn't go back and re-read. And the person below me has a good point: how long are physicians or NP's actually in the exam room with us anyway? We can't wait that long to look? I guess I'm showing my age when I say I remember when your friends and family couldn't reach or locate you until whatever particular time you walked back in the door from your errands, and somehow most of us lived through those horrible horrible times!

Specializes in Med-Surg.

I would have agreed with you all before my daughter was born. However, as a new paranoid parent, my heart always skips a beat when my fiance calls me during the day (he stays home with our baby). I would personally have a very difficult time focusing on what I need to do without first checking that all is ok. If so, then I just tell them I can't talk, and will call them back ASAP. But I will always apologize if I need to answer my phone for whatever reason during an appointment.

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
Walking out on a patient because they're on their phone? So extra.

Can you explain what this means, please?

Can you explain what this means, please?

Had to look it up on the Urban Dictionary as I am old and addled. Per TOS I'll advise that the Urban Dictionary uses strong language. :smokin:

Urban Dictionary: extra

Specializes in Home Care.

Life was so much simpler before cell phones and beepers.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

It is just the culture these days. Everyone thinks they have to respond immediately and be available every second of the day. All you moms should know that our moms were not available within seconds of every "cirisis" and it was fine. LOL!

Seriously people wonder why they feel crazed these days? Uh, shut off your darn phone for 15 minutes and you might actually enjoy the feeling!

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