texting at work

Like all things, if it gets in the way of work or care, it is unprofessional. If you have a few minutes of downtime, then no problem.

However, if I want to know a lab and I'm in a different hospital or on the road, texting is wonderful.

So texting while driving? Don't want to end up as your patients roommate!

Our unit got so bad with texting and inappropriate use of the computer that now both are banned. Sucks for the rest of us, but something needed to be done. Unfortunately it was only a few nurses that were abusing, too bad they didn't just write them up.

I don't really care if people text while at work, as long as they aren't constantly doing it, and not doing it around patients. Doing it once and awhile to check on the kids or whatever is fine by me. Same as a quick 2 minute phone call to check on things is fine by me. But having conversations via text really isn't cool with me. Nor is several or extended phone calls during non break times. Just don't do this stuff in front of patients or when things are BUSY and I have no problem.

Where I work, some *doctors* are so busy texting and IMing their buds. Yes, and others too, including nurses and paras. I wish people would focus.

Wow a lot of angry people on this board. My floor has a policy about no cell phones. They are supposed to be off at all times. This is unpractical. Co-workers (RN, MD & PCA) usually text between ourselves. 90% it is patient care related, 10% it's about misc. stuff. The thing I have an issue with on my floor is that you barely have time to take a break, in fact we have assigned breaks on a sheet, but they are never taken, so when we do text on our down time it's bad, but my charge nurse and the smokers can go out three times a night for ten minutes.

well, the people texting on their iphones at ED where I work are not texting work-related texts. they are showing their drunken pics from recent nights out on town, updating FB, fwding jokes, etc. obviously, work-related texts, or even short, personal texts, phone calls, etc., are expected on long shifts.

We had an aide that was sitting and would update her FB from her phone about how she had just watched 2 movies and how she couldn't believe they were paying her for it. Well I guess she forgot that she had many coworkers on her FB and word got around. Needless to say she isn't with us anymore.

It is absolutely a generational thing, so I stand by my comment. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. There are exceptions to EVERY rule. But, you cannot argue with the fact that it is definitely "kids" that do more texting. My nephew is 10 and I can't believe how much the boy can text. For those that are older (let's say, 30 and up...I'm thisclose to 30), we didn't grow up texting, and while I do plenty of it on my offtime, my phone stays in my locker when I'm not on break. No exceptions. I was surprised the first time I even saw someone pull their cell out of their POCKET while working. That certainly isn't the work ethic I learned. I go on Facebook (at home) and the "textspeak" used in status updates is strictly limited to a younger generation of people (wonder why?). It's all related. I never go online at work, either; I see our younger generation of nurses updating Facebook from work. It was unheard of when I started at the hospital 8 years ago (and yes, at 21). For those nurses that are in their early 20's and don't do it, that is great. Seriously, I mean that. I'm sure there are plenty. But it is much more rare to see someone that is older than that constantly texting.

For those that think it's no big deal, even if it's not constantly...you wouldn't be TALKING on your cell phone constantly at work, and the principle is no different. When you're at work, you work. Done. Texting docs regarding patients is a totally different thing. If that's not what you're doing, put the dang thing in your locker until you leave or are on break. It should not be tolerated.