Spin off: patients with phones

[Libby1987]

I'm in home health but I imagine my patients do the same thing in the hosptial..they *must* answer every call.

We can be mid conversation, the phone rings and they answer it. Sometimes I'm right in the middle of performing PICC care or a lab draw, the phone rings and they reach to answer it. It's happened so often that I've gotten to the point that I almost bark "Don't answer!" before they can make a move.

i understand if it's the dr's office call that they've been anxiously waiting for but the majority, with caller ID, it's ia friend or family member.

Sometimes they talk for a minute, other times they'll answer just to say they can't talk. I can understand if it's their primary family member calling to check that they're okay and don't want to worry them but they do it for friends, too.

And the ironic part (hope that's proper use!) is that it's less common in the younger patients than the seniors.

Do you guys experience this as well?

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

Many times I have entered a room with meds, tx supplies, whatever and while I'm setting up the phone rings. Some of them practically dive at the phone. On occasion it takes several minutes for them to explain that "I can't talk right now. The nurse is here..." I honestly can not recall a time that the phone went unanswered. I used to wait. Not anymore. If the phone rings and they answer (oh and they WILL answer) I give them approximately 0.00003 seconds to get off of the phone otherwise I'm out the door.

These are the same people that will complain that I was "late" with their meds/tx's even though I was there in time earlier.

(For the record, most of my residents are >70 yrs of age.)

[Libby1987]

Many times I have entered a room with meds, tx supplies, whatever and while I'm setting up the phone rings. Some of them practically dive at the phone. On occasion it takes several minutes for them to explain that "I can't talk right now. The nurse is here..." I honestly can not recall a time that the phone went unanswered. I used to wait. Not anymore. If the phone rings and they answer (oh and they WILL answer) I give them approximately 0.00003 seconds to get off of the phone otherwise I'm out the door.

These are the same people that will complain that I was "late" with their meds/tx's even though I was there in time earlier.

(For the record, most of my residents are >70 yrs of age.)

I know!!

When people talk about teens with phones I have to laugh, my kids (teen to early 20's) are not that dependent on their phones and they're typical kids.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

My patients have always been very nice about their phone usage, and I empathize with their desire to talk to a friend or family member. If they are on the phone when I walk in, I mouth, "I'll be back," and they usually nod/wave me out or shake their head/wave me in and end their call. Never really found myself annoyed by it.

[Rexie]

This is a huge annoyance for me. I understand that patients need to communicate with family or friends but I can't stand there and wait. Even worse are the patients who pick up the phone and make a call as I'm entering the room with their meds. I just don't have the time. Even having to come back at a later time throws off my morning med pass.

Another issue I've had is when I've had to interrupt meals, especially breakfast, to do a quick assessment and give meds and the patient will not put their fork down for a second so I can listen to their lungs or bowels. I know they're hungry and I feel mean complaining about it but it makes me afraid they're going to choke, they eat so fast.

I'm still trying to find more assertive ways to manage these situations. When I've been a patient and the nurse entered the room, I put aside what I was doing for the moment because my meds and treatments were my priority.

[nightbreak]

I don't mind so much when patients are on the phone when I arrive with meds - my pet peeve is the patient that sets their smart phone to wake themselves up every two hours for their prn dilaudid. That kills me.