Vocera! Can you talk to...?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Does anyone's job use Voceras? I'm not a big fan but I see how they make communication easier on a big unit. I think it creates a Pavlovian negative association. Whenever your Vocera rings you know you're in trouble or have more work coming at you! In my hospital the unit was small so our clerk just overhead paged us, as in "LibraNurse, room 4!" or LibraNurse to nurse station." That was stressful and hectic, because unlike Vocera it didn't ask "Can you talk to...?" and give you the opportunity to be unavailable. You had to hit your call light, say you were in another room tied up and hope the clerk would find someone else to answer that light. 

What communication systems do your jobs use? Pros and cons? Just curious! The best part of Vocera is at the end of the day when it says "I'm logging you out!" Worst is when someone calls you in the bathroom and you accidentally accept the call LOL 

Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

Ooh yes I once used secure chat to message with a doctor about a rap duo that we both liked... =/ Luckily we found out it's not saved as a part of any patient's chart and all chats get deleted after 5 days. I'm sure administration can get some hackers to recover deleted messages if they really wanted to! But they probably wouldn't be interested enough in our conversation about Run The Jewels 4th album LOL 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
2 hours ago, LibraNurse27 said:

Ooh yes I once used secure chat to message with a doctor about a rap duo that we both liked... =/ Luckily we found out it's not saved as a part of any patient's chart and all chats get deleted after 5 days. I'm sure administration can get some hackers to recover deleted messages if they really wanted to! But they probably wouldn't be interested enough in our conversation about Run The Jewels 4th album LOL 

Run the Jewels! I found out about them while watching Rick and Morty LOL!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
22 hours ago, 0.9%NormalSarah said:

Run the Jewels! I found out about them while watching Rick and Morty LOL!

Yesss cannot recommend enough! The other day I answered a call light for a sweet older gentlemen only to find him tapping his fingers along to the song WAP by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion ? It was playing SO loud because he is hard of hearing. He was just smiling, bobbing his head. When I went in he asked if I wanted him to pause it in case it was "not my taste." Very respectful. I said turn it up and enjoy your day LOL 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.

I used Vocera in the ER. I had a love hate relationship with it. I guess it’s a necessary evil in order to communicate with each other, but it drove me nuts with the constant interruptions. I did like the handless way of answering it if you were starting an IV or inserting a cath! I am in a job now where we aren’t required to use them and it’s like heaven not to have the constant alarms going off in my ear!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

Vocera: Red alarm in Room 123. Say Accept or Decline.

Nurse: accept

Vocera: I don't understand. Say accept or decline.

Nurse: Accept

{repeat 5 more times}

Vocera: I don't understand. Say accept or decline.

Nurse: ACCEPT

Vocera: It sounds like you said accept. Is this correct?

Nurse: Yes

Vocera: Acknowledging with "accept".

{5 seconds later}

Vocera: Red alarm in room 123...

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
23 hours ago, NICU Guy said:

Vocera: Red alarm in Room 123. Say Accept or Decline.

Nurse: accept

Vocera: I don't understand. Say accept or decline.

Nurse: Accept

{repeat 5 more times}

Vocera: I don't understand. Say accept or decline.

Nurse: ACCEPT

Vocera: It sounds like you said accept. Is this correct?

Nurse: Yes

Vocera: Acknowledging with "accept".

{5 seconds later}

Vocera: Red alarm in room 123...

??? I didn't even know Voceras could send you alarms!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Burn, ICU.

Ours are connected to our call lights/bed alarms on some units (old building, different systems in different wings). We don't have to "accept" the alarm, though; if you're logged into that unit your Vocera receives it automatically.  They're also connected to the patient elopement bracelets we use, so anyone in the vicinity (no matter what group they belong to) gets an alert if an elopement bracelet is near an elevator. (There's probably a way to temporarily disable this for a planned transport, but I don't know how!)  The specificity of the system is actually pretty cool when you think about it!

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.
2 hours ago, marienm, RN, CCRN said:

Ours are connected to our call lights/bed alarms on some units (old building, different systems in different wings). We don't have to "accept" the alarm, though; if you're logged into that unit your Vocera receives it automatically.  They're also connected to the patient elopement bracelets we use, so anyone in the vicinity (no matter what group they belong to) gets an alert if an elopement bracelet is near an elevator. (There's probably a way to temporarily disable this for a planned transport, but I don't know how!)  The specificity of the system is actually pretty cool when you think about it!

That does sound useful! Our unit had many confused substance abuse/ dementia / TBI pts who would wander off because they were still mobile and unit wasn't locked. also people on O2 leaving to smoke w/ their O2 still on! That system would have prevented some calls from the local police such as "we found your patient at Jack In the Box with no pants on" =/

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds ED.
On 4/3/2021 at 12:38 AM, LibraNurse27 said:

Does anyone's job use Voceras? I'm not a big fan but I see how they make communication easier on a big unit. I think it creates a Pavlovian negative association. Whenever your Vocera rings you know you're in trouble or have more work coming at you! In my hospital the unit was small so our clerk just overhead paged us, as in "LibraNurse, room 4!" or LibraNurse to nurse station." That was stressful and hectic, because unlike Vocera it didn't ask "Can you talk to...?" and give you the opportunity to be unavailable. You had to hit your call light, say you were in another room tied up and hope the clerk would find someone else to answer that light. 

What communication systems do your jobs use? Pros and cons? Just curious! The best part of Vocera is at the end of the day when it says "I'm logging you out!" Worst is when someone calls you in the bathroom and you accidentally accept the call LOL 

My current and last job use vocera. It can be super annoying when vocera repeatedly misunderstands what you’re trying to say but overall it makes things much easier. Especially when we have boarders in the ED and have to talk to the inpatient team. My first job had nothing and having to track staff down was a huge pain especially when it was just a quick question. I’ve also used phones (your assignment was linked to a specific number so if someone was looking for the nurse for bed 6 they just called that number) but they weren’t hands-free which is a big benefit of vocera. If my hands are busy but I can talk I can verbally accept the call. 

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

OMG, and here I am, working for myself in my own office and pissing and moaning about having my cell phone ring and beep all the time. This would drive me right over the edge.

How do you suppose we did it without this gadget? Discuss.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment