Personal calls received on work phone? What should I have done?

[starfishlpn]

Okay I work noc shift on a very small unit just me and a couple of aides. A man called and asked to speak with one of the CNAs that was not normally scheduled to work that day. I responded, after pausing to think about it, 'she isn't working to night'. He seemed surprised to hear this and then asked me for my name.

I was honest but because he asked my name I almost feel like my words may be used for foul or this might come back on me. I don't know the whole story, but it isn't my job to lie for anyone, nor was I asked to. Am I just being paranoid? How should I have responded?

[caliotter3]

One of my coworkers' wives called about an hour and a half after he had left the PM shift. He had not arrived home and she was worried. Since she was known, she was told he had left for the night. The next day he worked, we told him that his wife had called for him. We were worried that he had driven off the road or otherwise was injured. Turned out he was having an affair and was with his friend, but still, he should have come up with an alibi to tell his wife. Everyone was worried for nothing. But at least it was his wife calling and not a stalker.

[DookieMeisterRN]

Really? Your employer is paying you to work. Not keep your social life jumping. :) Every facility I worked in over 19 years had "no personal call" policy, and they didn't care if it was by carrier pigeon. The point isn't technology- it's about proper work etiquette. And in some cases safety.

I don't think that post your replying to suggests that everyone is talking/texting on the clock. It is possible to get a text or voicemail message on a personal phone and reply to it on your break you know. My family and friends will either leave a text or voice message (on my personal cell) if I don't answer b/c I'm at work. Doesn't mean I am using company time to enrich my social life.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

I'll never forget the day that a staff member called out sick. Around 1400, he gets a call from a woman who sounds rather panicked. I usually won't put through personal calls unless it is an emergency-I will tell the caller to call the staff member's personal cell. The woman said that she was so-and-so's wife, and she needed to speak to him urgently.

Wow. AWKWARD!!!!

Or maybe he was sick & just called in without clearing it with his wife first.

Or a bill collector or some nutcase posing as wife to get past the gatekeepers

[starfishlpn]

that is of coorifice what I meant. It is a ltc facility and our policy is no non-work cell phones though not as strict as most hospitals ou7r policy. My husband text me or leaves a vm which I check when on break. I can't even remember the last time anyone has called the work phone for one of my staff.

I feared that perhaps it may be a situation like that. I know she has a live in bf or husband and no family in area of the country where we live (it was a local number).

[JBudd, MSN]

We never admit who is there or not. Especially which ED docs are on; someone called one night to see if a particular doc was there, then robbed his house.

[Jenni811, RN]

you have no obligation to lie for an employee.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Where I used to work this guy called the store one night and wanted the personal phone number of a woman who worked 3rd shift. He claimed to be her brother. I must have been on the phone with him, arguing, for 30 minutes. I was not about to give out anyone's number, let alone a woman who works overnight all by herself in the middle of nowhere! He was very persistent... for someone who was supposedly her brother, he was very dense about why I wouldn't do something like that. If I called someplace wanting personal info about someone else I would be pretty freaked out if someone actually gave it to me.

[Poi Dog]

Where I used to work this guy called the store one night and wanted the personal phone number of a woman who worked 3rd shift. He claimed to be her brother. I must have been on the phone with him, arguing, for 30 minutes. I was not about to give out anyone's number, let alone a woman who works overnight all by herself in the middle of nowhere! He was very persistent... for someone who was supposedly her brother, he was very dense about why I wouldn't do something like that. If I called someplace wanting personal info about someone else I would be pretty freaked out if someone actually gave it to me.

I would have said the number is 1-900-eat-poop because I am a wise orifice.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

That I agree with. I will answer available or unavailable. I don't take messages and I'm not giving out phone numbers!

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I don't think that post your replying to suggests that everyone is talking/texting on the clock. It is possible to get a text or voicemail message on a personal phone and reply to it on your break you know. My family and friends will either leave a text or voice message (on my personal cell) if I don't answer b/c I'm at work. Doesn't mean I am using company time to enrich my social life.

Point taken :)