personal cell phone and the internet and impact on staff moral

[24 yrs and counting]

OK I am a fist time blogger so I have a question for the nursing population at large, I am a icu nurse in a large treahing hospital. I see a distubing trend in our icu and am wondering if this is happing all over. I see staff using personal cell phones for personal calls durirng there working hours, texting durring teaching rounds. This looks poor and very unprofessional. Also we see alot on staff on the pc, using it for face book personal shopping, twitter, taking up alot of time that should be spent with patients. Then the offending staff person is the first to ask for help when they have not gotten there work done. I have addressed this issue with my mannager and she doesn't see it as a issue. The rest of the staff is just as upset over this increasing trend in our icu. The rest of us have had it with the offending nurses. To add to this mix also is an ethical issue many nurse use face book add informantion about patients in the icu, no names are given but if you work in the unit and are on face book you know who the patient is. God help them I'm sure this is against heppa regulations. Any one running into thess issues and have you been able to cle ar them up?

[GreyGull]

If it doesn't harm the pt then what business is it to anyone if a coworker uses their cellphone or the internet on down time. I mean really jeesh.

True. A few medication errors and unanswered call lights may not harm the patients. However, when other coworkers must interrupt what they are doing to correct your mistakes, take care of unit business and answer the call lights of your patients while you finish your online purchase or a text message during your perceived downtime (not break time), there becomes a problem. People tend to become too absorbed in their cellphone or the internet to notice what is happening around them.

[Poi Dog]

The nurses where I work frequently use their cell phones at the nurses station and personal laptops. I walked into a back room of the station and caught a nurse wth her laptop plugged, happily downloading photos onto a disk...I had 4 call lights going off.

Management has tried to implement the no-cells on floor but it is a joke because no listens or adheres to it. (rolleyes).

[dandk1997RN, MSN, RN]

If it doesn't harm the pt then what business is it to anyone if a coworker uses their cellphone or the internet on down time. I mean really jeesh.

As a supervisor who deals with this garbage all the time (texting seems to be more prevalent than talking on the phone) I feel somewhat qualified to answer this. (At this time, I oversee a staff of 25-30 lab employees directly.)

1) There are serious infection control issues here. I actually cultured out two employees mobile devices a few weeks ago It was NOT pretty.

2) Our errors have drastically increased since people began covertly doing this. When I say something to them, they stop, but they start again as soon as my back is turned.

3) The bottom line here is that, at least where I work, it is against the hospital policy, and more to the point, IT IS THEFT. People doing this are being paid to work, not chat with their friends. An occasional call to/from home on the regular phone is one thing, but near-constant texting is another. While qualified in reviews for a raise these last two years, I didn't get one b/c of financial difficulties. How much money could the hospital saved had it not had to pay for an hour (in total, just an estimate) of unproductive work time for probably 50% of its employees every single day of the year?

Cell phones/texting is inappropriate in the workplace.

[leslie :-D]

If it doesn't harm the pt then what business is it to anyone if a coworker uses their cellphone or the internet on down time. I mean really jeesh.

because it clearly isn't restricted to "down time".

nurses are being interrupted at all times throughout the shift.

and it is a big deal when it distracts you from your pt or other duties.

it's just plain unprofessional and irresponsible.

leslie

[AtomicWoman]

If someone wants to text and surf and call while they work, they should get an office job where they aren't responsible for patients' well-being. The story about the call lights going off while the person was downloading pics made my hair stand on end!

[24 yrs and counting]

For the person that feels it is ok to use cell phone and internet for own use I feel that your hospital is not paying you to do that on there time. I did bring this to my boss and her reply and I know everyonw will love this, is that our coe has a face book accound so what it was no the big deal. I assume our ceo is not sitting in a meeting a texting while trying to conduct business. As for my self and all the other staff we have had it with this behavior. I feel it is time to take it above out boss to her supervisor. I agree the internet can be great I use it for looking up information r/t my patient, but I can tell you this that if my hopsital were to following the use issue and was able to clock the hrs used for personal time they would fall over with what this is costing them. Along with the fact that if your a bed side nurse you know that it takes to give good care, And when you follow and offender you know you have an extra hrs worth of work that was not done because the nurse was not doing there job.

I would love to see hospital address this issue, not only from the money issue , but morale and infection control issue. I guess it is time to make a stand, and I know I won't be popular,but who ever said popular was the correct thing.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Many years ago, before cell phones and internet I worked on a unit that had a lot of down time on evenings. (days never had this down time) So those nurses started watching TV in the conferance room (which is attached to the nursing station). At first, nothing was said. Then they started to bring in snacks to have. Still, nothing was done.

But then they started to talk, rather loudly, when they came in about what show they were going to watch, etc. One evening one nurse said to her co-workers "we have to make sure our work is done by 8:00 so we can watch (a certain program)". Manager was walking by right then - she didn't say anything but we know she heard.

Next week - staffing on evenings was cut - do to the budget. Which was probably legit, as they were working on the budget. But I bet if this nurse had kept quiet, they would have found some other place to cut the budget. Evenings never had time to watch TV after that.

When one of them complained I pointed out that they only had themselves to blame.

So just remember - as you sit there on your "downtime" texting, using the internet etc, you never know when someone will make note and you may be out the door.

[LynM75]

If it doesn't harm the pt then what business is it to anyone if a coworker uses their cellphone or the internet on down time. I mean really jeesh.

It is an issue of apperance as well here... families and visitors have no idea who does what and who is responsible for what and when the families see someone sitting at the computer looking at the internet, what does that say to a complete stranger? "oh here's someone sitting around instead of checking on my loved one...hmmm."

This is just my opinion, however.

[RNDreamer]

As a student, during one of my rotations, it was really embarassing when visitors would approach the nursing station and see staff on Facebook playing games. The visitors would stand there and wait to be noticed by staff.

Once, a patient of mine was going south and I needed help ASAP. I went to the nurse, who walk away from me while on her cell phone (after I found her hiding behind the door of the supply closet). I guess the guy who was "obviously cheating" was more important than the patient. Thank goodness the doctor was there.

Once, while walking by a nursing station, a nurse very loudly insisted "I AM doing my work" into the phone. I glanced at her screen, which was in plain sight to anyone who walked by. Yup, Farmville.

As a volunteer, I was putting a baby to sleep and talking to her mother while someone behind the curtain was talking on the phone about financial issues that they were having, bankruptsy, etc.. Behind the curtain and in the patient's room. Mom informs me that it was her daughter's nurse we were hearing. Yea, right, I think. Yes, it was a nurse on that phone.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

I work with very professional people. I have no idea if they are doing any of that because we are too busy. I've seen them on downtime, or on their break--as is appropriate. Everyone knows what is expected--we don't need to be told. Perhaps you work with some of the more immature people and they need "mom and dad" to take away their privileges?

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

i really wish ALL facilities would have an enforcible ban on cell phones.

i'm talking about a zero tolerance policy that could result in harsh penalties.

nurses and the general human population, survived just fine before cell phones, and we'll survive now.

i mean business!! (pounding table)

leslie:lol2:

I need access to my kids--they are home alone for a couple of hours in the evening (they are old enough)--I do not spend time on the phone with them constantly, but I feel that as a parent--it's important.

You will never see me except for a few seconds to make sure they got on the bus and that they are home. Calling me at work is a hassle for them.

The truth is--people need to be adult and responsible. They shouldn't have to be "told" what the limits are. I don't like and won't tolerate people that I will have to pick up slack from. It will be noted and trust me when I tell you, they would probably be in tears by the time I finish. Totally UNACCEPTABLE to be on the phone and playing stupid games. Don't even think of working around me if you want to continue working and you are a stupid-***. No apologies here.

[dizzyheadspin]

Sounds like another case of the few ruining it for all and causing more nonsense in the work place.