What is it with nurses and cell phones? Just a vent.

[fakebee]

Recently my hospital has upgraded or introduced multiple new computer programs that have required almost every level of nurse from bedside to administration to attend class in order to use the new technology. I have assisted in teaching numerous classes and before each we ask that cell phones be silenced and put away, that if anyone must make or take a call or text to please exit the room and return when done, and not to text while in class or you will be asked to leave. Despite this every class we have multiple violators and the majority when asked to leave are not embarrassed but become angry when asked to follow rules and be respectful of educators and classmates. I can't say it's any one age group since I've had 22 year olds to 70 year olds as the culprits. Sometimes I just have to shake my head at what passes for professionalism these days. This is just a vent, not looking for validation. Have a great day!

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

My cell phone is with me at all times, but I make no apologies for that fact. It's all in how you use it, not that it's simply with you.

When in school or in work-related education, it was off...no vibrate, no ringer. Just off. My kids were at home, and their instructions were to call their father for whatever they needed. He also had his off in meetings. The kids know how to leave a message.

At work, it's on vibrate. When I get a second, I'll check the caller or text, but that doesn't necessarily mean I will return the call or text. In the year I've been working, I've never had to return a call or text immediately because they weren't emergencies. How do I know a call is an emergency?: it's from my husband; he knows to call me only if it's a true emergency.

I see nurses at work texting or on their personal phones all the time. Either they have a LOT of emergencies, or it's highly unprofessional. I go with the latter.

Funny story: I was out to dinner with a friend who I had not seen in over a year. My phone kept vibrating the last hour that I was enjoying my night out. It is so inconspicuous that my friend didn't even notice, and *gasp* I didn't answer it or look at it (although I was becoming a little bit concerned). As soon as I got to my car, I looked: 2 texts and 3 phone calls from my NM. Ugh.

ETA: About being bored during educational activities at work...I don't like my time wasted, but I don't think it's considerate to fill up wasted time by wasting time messing around on a phone. I update my paper calendar, I make out a grocery list or to-do list, anything that looks like I'm engaged in learning, even when really I'm not.

[JZ_RN]

I also don't use my cell phone in classes that I chose or actually need, but if it's a waste of time class that's forced on me or a pointless meeting, they aren't respecting my time or intelligence and I don't care if they don't like it, I am gonna use my phone.

I don't use my phone when I'm at work, in front of patients, etc. In my office alone, I work 99% of my day and if I want to check my texts for 2 minutes, I will.

I don't answer texts if I'm paying at the store, but walking around, it's on vibrate and I don't care. I rarely take phone calls in public unless I have to.

I think some people just still resent anything new and any technological advances. Usually it's the people who can't use or understand them. My grandpa gets furious whenever anyone is at his house and a cell phone goes off or you text or anything. He also can't use a cell phone if his life depended on it.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I don't get this, "You're wasting my time, so I'm gonna show the ultimate disrespect and play around on my phone just so that you all know I'm above this nonsense."

[JZ_RN]

Don't waste my time if you don't like it. I'm not gonna sit and be bored while I'm most likely exhausted as well (as they schedule most of this garbage for when I'd rather be sleeping in the mornings or when I was on night shift it was 2 pm..) and probably fall asleep. That looks just as bad. At least doing something keeps me awake.

[JZ_RN]

It sounds stupid, I know, but after having SOOOOOO many hours and days of my life wasted on pointless mandatory things, I just don't have the patience to care anymore. They don't care about me, so why bother pretending like I'm interested in learning how to open a file for the 57th time?

[Giveyourall]

I agree with you about the lack of professionalism but also it affects patient care. At my former hospital my fellow nurses would have 30 minutes long conversations in patients' rooms while they were watching television. I was tired of the care given and the lackluster attitude by administration when family members complained. Some of the nurses felt like they had the right to do whatever they wanted because they've been there for 20 years or more. I think it's time for us to get back to what makes nursing a field of caring, compassion ,dedication and respect.

[JZ_RN]

If I am at work I don't use my cell phone around patients at all, that is unprofessional and detracts from care. At pointless meetings or classes it's different though. My work comes before entertainment but being told for the 50th time that we need to kiss butts and practice customer service doesn't come before anything else in my life ha.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I don't get this, "You're wasting my time, so I'm gonna show the ultimate disrespect and play around on my phone just so that you all know I'm above this nonsense."

I think calling this "the ultimate disrespect" is a bit of a hyperbole. Nobody here is advocating pulling their pants down in the middle of a class and taking a dump on the instructor's keyboard.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I think calling this "the ultimate disrespect" is a bit of a hyperbole. Nobody here is advocating pulling their pants down in the middle of a class and taking a dump on the instructor's keyboard.

Hyperbole goes two ways, it seems. The responses that have said, "You're wasting my time, so I'm gonna play on my toy," come off as an intentional and very public thumbing of the nose to the person in front of the room. Do what you want--nothing I say will change it--but I just don't get it. Acting that way isn't going to magically end some of these meetings or subject matter; it's just going to make you look like a jerk.

OTOH, by doing something with paper and pencil as is my habit, I suppose I'm just hiding the fact that I'm a jerk.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

I have given this topic quite a bit of thought and realized that the nurses who have constant emergencies on their phones are the biggest slackers. I had to tell a nurse the other day that the tech said Ms Whitten NOT six window before she went and gave a narc that wasn't needed. Had she been paying attention instead of tweeting she would have known that. These same nurses always have a sick child or dying grand-someone when they are confronted. They are the same ones who have an excuse for EVERYTHING. There is always a reason the rules don't apply to them. If you are so vital that you cannot be out of contact for even an hour you should keep your family in your backpack or yourself at home.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

I have given this topic quite a bit of thought and realized that the nurses who have constant emergencies on their phones are the biggest slackers. I had to tell a nurse the other day that the tech said Ms Whitten NOT six window before she went and gave a narc that wasn't needed. Had she been paying attention instead of tweeting she would have known that. These same nurses always have a sick child or dying grand-someone when they are confronted. They are the same ones who have an excuse for EVERYTHING. There is always a reason the rules don't apply to them. If you are so vital that you cannot be out of contact for even an hour you should keep your family in your backpack or yourself at home.

Damn you autocorrect!

[Calabria, BSN, RN]

Don't think it's just nurses.

I had a doctor answer her cell phone for a social call while she was circumcising a baby once.