Getting asked to leave while volunteering

[Aubrey Graham]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[whitemagic]

Sorry but I just completely lost it at the "Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk" haha

It sucks that you had to go through that, but I'd just go back next time and apologize to her and say it won't happen again. There's really not much else that you can do.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

Yeah I'm not there anymore lmao so I figured I can use my phone now...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HCHopeful]

For me, it always depends on how long you've been there and how comfortable people are with you. As a nurse, if a new volunteer came in and whipped out a phone, I would feel as if he or she is disrespectful. However, once I got to know you and realized you weren't disrespectful (hopefully you aren't), I would be willing to be more lenient.

Things you can do after 1 day are NOT equal to things you can do after 6 months.

If this isn't anywhere near the case, then completely forget everything I've just typed.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

I guess u r right..I've only been there for a few weeks...I wasn't trying to be disrespectful I was just bored and felt unproductive...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gandyy]

Oh this is ridiculous. I've worked in a hospital as a phlebotomist, and the nurses there did things less than professional every day let alone use their phones lol.

Get this. A nurse practitioner at one of the places I've worked at asked our medical laboratory technologist what test to run for a certain patient DX?!??!!!???

For those of you who don't know what a Medical laboratory technologist is... they analyze your blood drawn by phlebotomists (Me!) and are the ones who report results
of your blood tests to your physician. So basically they have 0 training on how to actually diagnose a patient.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

I'm pretty sure she took a picture of me sent it to the volunteer coordinator so I guess that does make her my boss now...oh well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Womb Raider]

Were you previously told by your supervisor or someone not to use your phone?

If yes = not sure what to say, you broke the rules...
If no = explain to the nurse you didn't realize phones were prohibited and apologize politely.

Even if the nurse isn't your boss they really aren't worth arguing with. Sure, you could pull the "you're not my supervisor" card and hope for the best, but if word gets around that you're acting like that a lot of people won't take kindly to it. Remember, these people could be writing you rec letters one day.

Sucking up to people you shouldn't have to suck up to goes a long way in medicine, everyone wants to be treated like equals even when there's a clear hierarchy.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

I already have all my rec letters, my volunteer coordinator did not say that we couldn't use our phones, but I will apologize and not get caught using my phone during downtime...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hoihaie]

come back to this hospital in 10 years as an MD and tell that nurse to leave when you see her with her phone

 

[SpeedySavior]

I was supposed to leave the ER when ever multiple patients were brought in, but the doctor told me to stay. A nurse continued to yell at me for being in the ER, and "in her way". It was also the first time I saw tracheotomy (tracheostomy?) performed. Cool enough.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Welcome to the hospital environment. Get ready for far more ridiculous scolding's in rotations and as a resident.

 

[GatorsKW14]

Well I guess I am in the minority but I think that it was inappropriate for you to use your phone during volunteering hours. You aren't there to sit on your phone. There is ALWAYS something for a volunteer to do. I work in a hospital and we don't always have the time to ask volunteers to do a specific task. But we really appreciate the proactive ones that figure out what needs to be done on their own. With that said, I think it was a little extreme for her to make you leave (unless there was a no phone rule). She should have just asked you to put it away and give you something to do.

 

[HuskyBabe]

Well I guess I am in the minority but I think that it was inappropriate for you to use your phone during volunteering hours. You aren't there to sit on your phone. There is ALWAYS something for a volunteer to do. I work in a hospital and we don't always have the time to ask volunteers to do a specific task. But we really appreciate the proactive ones that figure out what needs to be done on their own. With that said, I think it was a little extreme for her to make you leave (unless there was a no phone rule). She should have just asked you to put it away and give you something to do.

Just curious, what tasks can an ER volunteer that's been there for a few weeks do without being asked? Besides maybe go engage with patients. I mean legally, it's not like a volunteer can just hop in the loop and start doing stuff. Unless they're given tasks or areas to help, what can they just randomly start doing on their own without being given permission? If I'm wrong, please correct me! I'm actually curious as to how an ER volunteer could be proactive and actually helpful to the team

 

[catmario]

Well I guess I am in the minority but I think that it was inappropriate for you to use your phone during volunteering hours. You aren't there to sit on your phone. There is ALWAYS something for a volunteer to do. I work in a hospital and we don't always have the time to ask volunteers to do a specific task. But we really appreciate the proactive ones that figure out what needs to be done on their own. With that said, I think it was a little extreme for her to make you leave (unless there was a no phone rule). She should have just asked you to put it away and give you something to do.

Yeahno. Simply not true. I know from working in the hospital that there seems to be a lot of stuff that volunteers can do, but as you have stated, no one tells volunteers to do these things. Also, it seems a little
d**kish to ask volunteers to do certain things that also happen to be a part of my job.
So a lot of volunteers are left in the ER twiddling their thumbs, looking for cabinets to restock, and eyeing the clock until it's time to round on patients again. I for one completely
understand OP for wanting to use her phone. Just learn to have better discretion around certain personalities.... there's a lot of it in the hospital.

 

[Hospitalized]

Some nurses look for every single opportunity to be a superior, they take orders all day long from physicians. A volunteer on a phone is like taking candy from a baby for them. Brush it off.

We have this charge nurse in the ED I work at that's a total douche to every new employee. He's hated by many and has lots of arbitrary rules when he's on shift, one being that you aren't allowed to eat inside the ED. I remember, as a volunteer, he once chewed me out for "being in the way" with my linen cart in the ED. Embarrassing moment for me, namely because I'm a very conscious person about what's going on around me. He was just looking for something to do, and I happened to be there to pick on. There was no reason that my cart could not have been where it was at that time (wasn't in the way), but in his words, "well a gurney could come flying through here at any moment." Whatever, I can clearly tell he's got nothing better to do.

Flash forward a year or so, now I'm a scribe. On shift, one of the attendings bought me food and we had lunch together inside the ED. I gave that charge nurse the coldest stare I could when he walked by me as I scarfed down my sandwich. He knew one of the only people he could not talk down to was the attending I was on shift with at that time. Damn that was a sweet feeling.

OP, I hope that you too will have your sweet justice at some point. It's one thing for someone to tell you to get off your phone because there's something to do, it's another thing to do it just to be a nuisance. Brush it off and just perform all of your duties to the best of your ability. If you have time to use your phone while being the best possible volunteer, then do it. As long as it's permissible by your volunteer coordinator, you're fine.

 

[jl lin]

Were you previously told by your supervisor or someone not to use your phone?

If yes = not sure what to say, you broke the rules...
If no = explain to the nurse you didn't realize phones were prohibited and apologize politely.

Even if the nurse isn't your boss they really aren't worth arguing with. Sure, you could pull the "you're not my supervisor" card and hope for the best, but if word gets around that you're acting like that a lot of people won't take kindly to it. Remember, these people could be writing you rec letters one day.

Sucking up to people you shouldn't have to suck up to goes a long way in medicine, everyone wants to be treated like equals even when there's a clear hierarchy.

I have to say (no offense to ALL nurse--probably will be to some) but that was a pathetic way to act from the nurse. A nurse worth anything would have directed you to where you could be useful to patients or the team. I can always find something to do, and I can usually find something for someone else to do. These kinds of people give nursing a bad name. It's like the db nurses that like to condescend to some of the PGY_1s. . .IDK, maybe b/c they met them as M3/4s and found them to be condescending. Funny how the pendulum swings back and forth. At any rate, I don't like people working with me to act like condescending dbs on the unit--or anywhere for that matter--especially when there are so many sick patients and so much to be done. People have to team-up, and I detest those that don't get what that means. Why must people make the work and outcome subpar b/c of some bogus internal crap, for which they refuse to get some serious help?

Sorry about your situation OP. Apparently that nurse didn't know how to include you or motivate you or direct you in a productive way. I was an RN before people were walking around texting on cell phones. To this day, I limit using mine and only text VIP stuff; but that gets tricky. The reason is, if you are using a smart phone to do some med gtt calculations or to look something up, people can assume that you are texting, when it reality, you are not. I would prefer to use my iPad mini, but I don't always have a jacket w/ big pockets, so the iPhone is easier to take along with me.

 

[jl lin]

Nurses look for every single opportunity to be a superior, they take orders all day long from physicians. A volunteer on a phone is like taking candy from a baby for them. Brush it off.

We have this charge nurse in the ED I work at that's a total douche to every new employee. He's hated by many and has lots of arbitrary rules when he's on shift, one being that you aren't allowed to eat inside the ED. I remember, as a volunteer, he once chewed me out for "being in the way" with my linen cart in the ED. Embarrassing moment for me, namely because I'm a very conscious person about what's going on around me. He was just looking for something to do, and I happened to be there to pick on. There was no reason that my cart could not have been where it was at that time (wasn't in the way), but in his words, "well a gurney could come flying through here at any moment." Whatever, I can clearly tell he's got nothing better to do.

Flash forward a year or so, now I'm a scribe. On shift, one of the attendings bought me food and we had lunch together inside the ED. I gave that charge nurse the coldest stare I could when he walked by me as I scarfed down my sandwich. He knew one of the only people he could not talk down to was the attending I was on shift with at that time. Damn that was a sweet feeling.

OP, I hope that you too will have your sweet justice at some point. It's one thing for someone to tell you to get off your phone because there's something to do, it's another thing to do it just to be a nuisance. Brush it off and just perform all of your duties to the best of your ability. If you have time to use your phone while being the best possible volunteer, then do it. As long as it's permissible by your volunteer coordinator, you're fine.

First, when you use the word, nurses, you need to say some nurses. Trust me, you will learn, many of us aren't like that.

Second, the not eating in clinical areas is a Joint Commission thing, not a nurse thing....although, in reality, many people blow the rule off after JCAHO has come through and submitted for continued accreditation.

Still, I've seen some ID people get pizzy about it too. So, that can vary. If inspection is imminent, it doesn't matter if the doc is an attending or not, nurses, admins, etc are gonna say something--b/c THEY KNOW JCAHO inspection is imminent. It is also about re-setting the standard for others upon time of inspection. If Jane the nurse sees Billy the doc eating where he shouldn't, Nurse Jane may follow Dr. Billy's cue, and then JCAHO "preparedness" is undermined.

The reality is that eating is not supposed to be done in clinical areas, period; but the other reality is that of having to keep working while trying not to pass out from low blood sugar. The former gets ignored d/t the practical matter of keeping the staff from passing out on the floor. I know about this, b/c I almost hit the floor while pregnant--didn't eat enough--had growing life inside me--too busy to stop and eat--glucose hit 38--I got dizzy and couldn't understand what people were saying to me anymore--don't know how I made it to the break room w/o passing out completely--someone got me candy and juice--another nurse checked my glucose, and then people began telling me how stupid I was for not eating enough, especially whilst pregnant! I was the supervising nurse as well. Felt like an idiot. You can run yourself down in the clinical areas. And if that doesn't happen, well, if people don't get to eat at least something, they get cranky as all hell.

So in the everyday reality, even though we shouldn't, out of necessity, we may bend the rules in order to function. Some rules and reality do not always work perfectly in all situations.

Bottom line, don't assume that all nurses are dbs. Many of us probably have issues w/ some of the people you have noted as dbs. OTOH, sometimes people have their reasons for running a tight ship. Sometimes its control, or OCD, or a fight with a SO, and other times there is a legitimate reason for it. So, it's best to know which is which before going into hate-mode.

 

[Oh_Gee]

please Drake make a song about being pre-med

 

[cometstarg]

I'm just saying, you could do better.

 

[cometstarg]

Couldn't help myself, leaving now.

 

[Hospitalized]

First, when you use the word, nurses, you need to say some nurses. Trust me, you will learn, many of us aren't like that.

Second, the not eating in clinical areas is a Joint Commission thing, not a nurse thing....although, in reality, many people blow the rule off after JCAHO has come through and submitted for continued accreditation.

Still, I've seen some ID people get pizzy about it too. So, that can vary. If inspection is imminent, it doesn't matter if the doc is an attending or not, nurses, admins, etc are gonna say something--b/c THEY KNOW JCAHO inspection is imminent. It is also about re-setting the standard for others upon time of inspection. If Jane the nurse sees Billy the doc eating where he shouldn't, Nurse Jane may follow Dr. Billy's cue, and then JCAHO "preparedness" is undermined.

The reality is that eating is not supposed to be done in clinical areas, period; but the other reality is that of having to keep working while trying not to pass out from low blood sugar. The former gets ignored d/t the practical matter of keeping the staff from passing out on the floor. I know about this, b/c I almost hit the floor while pregnant--didn't eat enough--had growing life inside me--too busy to stop and eat--glucose hit 38--I got dizzy and couldn't understand what people were saying to me anymore--don't know how I made it to the break room w/o passing out completely--someone got me candy and juice--another nurse checked my glucose, and then people began telling me how stupid I was for not eating enough, especially whilst pregnant! I was the supervising nurse as well. Felt like an idiot. You can run yourself down in the clinical areas. And if that doesn't happen, well, if people don't get to eat at least something, they get cranky as all hell.

So in the everyday reality, even though we shouldn't, out of necessity, we may bend the rules in order to function. Some rules and reality do not always work perfectly in all situations.

Bottom line, don't assume that all nurses are dbs. Many of us probably have issues w/ some of the people you have noted as dbs. OTOH, sometimes people have their reasons for running a tight ship. Sometimes its control, or OCD, or a fight with a SO, and other times there is a legitimate reason for it. So, it's best to know which is which before going into hate-mode.

I agree. Some nurses. That was a mistake on my part. I edited my post to reflect that. I actually have better relationships with some of the nurses that I indirectly work with as opposed to some of the physician I work directly with. Nurses do so much work that is unappreciated. As for grumpy charge nurse, he's just old, bitter, and ready to retire. The ED I work in has doubled patient volumes since because of a contract and he seems very unhappy all the time.

I can count on one or two hands the number of times I've actually eaten a meal in clinical areas. It doesn't happen often, and really only when it's abnormally slow. We're very cognitive of JCAHO at my hospital so it's never really been an issue. Obviously, you eat outside if you can. I guess I like night shift a bit more because the staff is more laid back.

 

[genericpremedstudent]

whatever happened to doing your job and not being on your phone? when I'm at work, volunteering, at school, my phone goes in my bag and I only check it on breaks. you are volunteering because you want it to look good for med school. why waste your time volunteering when you won't even be able to get a reference because you were messing around on your phone?

 

[Axes]

whatever happened to doing your job and not being on your phone? when I'm at work, volunteering, at school, my phone goes in my bag and I only check it on breaks. you are volunteering because you want it to look good for med school. why waste your time volunteering when you won't even be able to get a reference because you were messing around on your phone?

Oh chill out.

And @OP, come back when you're a doctor and make her life hell.

 

[gannicus89]

come back to this hospital in 10 years as an MD and tell that nurse to leave when you see her with her phone

Plot twist: Nurse actually goes to medical school at night. Becomes phone-using volunteer's ornery surgery attending.

 

[Siggy]

Just curious, what tasks can an ER volunteer that's been there for a few weeks do without being asked? Besides maybe go engage with patients. I mean legally, it's not like a volunteer can just hop in the loop and start doing stuff. Unless they're given tasks or areas to help, what can they just randomly start doing on their own without being given permission? If I'm wrong, please correct me! I'm actually curious as to how an ER volunteer could be proactive and actually helpful to the team

Things I did relatively early on without being asked.

Turn over rooms.

Hook new patients to monitors.

Restock the IV tubing trays.

 

[deleted577188]

Um...was this nurse your boss?

Because if not, I'm pretty sure the correct response is:

YOU NOT MY DAD!

 

[Winged Scapula]

You must reflect on the possibility that there is a generational schism in regards to phone attachment. I happen to be one of the worst in terms of constantly checking my phone but you need to be aware that many, especially Baby Boomers and even Gen Xers see that as rude. There's nothing worse than trying to give a lecture or otherwise engage people and see 3/4th of them looking down at their phone. Unless you're a trauma surgeon on call, there's probably very little role for that.

However I frequently note that younger students don't recognize how it looks to others. I'll be honest that while I think that nurse was unnecessarily punitive I her actions toward you, it's pretty telling when someone who is there to do a job reaches for their phone instead of finding things to do. What did volunteers do 20 years ago before everyone had cell phones (let alone smart phones)? They found things to do.

 

[GatorsKW14]

Just curious, what tasks can an ER volunteer that's been there for a few weeks do without being asked? Besides maybe go engage with patients. I mean legally, it's not like a volunteer can just hop in the loop and start doing stuff. Unless they're given tasks or areas to help, what can they just randomly start doing on their own without being given permission? If I'm wrong, please correct me! I'm actually curious as to how an ER volunteer could be proactive and actually helpful to the team

Our ER volunteers do almost all of our stocking, clean beds/rooms between patients, transport things between departments, etc. It is extremely helpful.. I am an ER technician and I couldn't survive without the volunteers on some days.

 

[GatorsKW14]

Yeahno. Simply not true. I know from working in the hospital that there seems to be a lot of stuff that volunteers can do, but as you have stated, no one tells volunteers to do these things. Also, it seems a little
d**kish to ask volunteers to do certain things that also happen to be a part of my job.
So a lot of volunteers are left in the ER twiddling their thumbs, looking for cabinets to restock, and eyeing the clock until it's time to round on patients again. I for one completely
understand OP for wanting to use her phone. Just learn to have better discretion around certain personalities.... there's a lot of it in the hospital.

It's not dickish. They are there to help when they can. What is the point of volunteering if you can sit at home and twiddle your thumbs and play with your phone?

By the way, as a physician you need to be able to delegate in order to take care of patients efficiently.

 

[catmario]

It's not dickish. They are there to help when they can. What is the point of volunteering if you can sit at home and twiddle your thumbs and play with your phone?

By the way, as a physician you need to be able to delegate in order to take care of patients efficiently.

That depends on the hospital. Here, volunteers are explicitly proscribed from doing certain things and are very limited in what they can do. Furthermore, I'm not a volunteer
coordinator nor the volunteer team leader that supervises these things. This has nothing to do with a physician's ability to delegate orders to nurses
and other healthcare personnel to implement care as much as it has everything to do with understanding my position and place. Sure, if a volunteer asks if there's something to be done, or if I am really
tight on time, I might ask them to run an errand or two. But it's not my job to see to it that volunteers are occupied. My job is to do my job. Perhaps your hospital is just understaffed. I never really
felt the need to depend on volunteers to make it through my shift.

 

[jl lin]

Yes. It's true. Hospitals generally are very limiting with what volunteers can do compared to a decade or more ago. But if you become an employee, depending upon what the work is, they feel better about letting you do stuff. I had one volunteer that was so annoyed b/c all they let her do was stamp up pre-op and post-op paperwork. Liability fears have caused some serious limitations in what volunteers can do--and if they do anything with a patient, they want volunteers to be very closely supervised. The key is to network/build trust with the right people in the right areas.

 

[winterwind_23]

I was in a similar situation to OP today. I'm a volunteer in the ED, and today on my sign-in sheet, there was a note from my volunteer coordinator saying that one of the nurses complained about me using my laptop in the ED. Volunteers have a little desk we sit at, and since I'm mostly just waiting for beds to clear out before I clean them, I brought my laptop the past few weeks to work on my med school application during the down time. I don't really blame the nurse for complaining about my laptop usage, but now I'm stuck in the ED twiddling my thumb 80% of the time. My ED volunteer routine: sign in, restock linens/some other supplies, restock blanket warmer, run a lab here and there, clean a bed here and there, grab ice or water or a meal whenever a patient requests it. The rest of my time, I just spend staring at the monitor with the list of patients, waiting for it to change to Discharged so I can clean it. I hate small talk, and I feel like I'm disrupting if I ask questions to nurses, so not sure what else I could be doing.

There's always this nurse that comes up with really tedious things for me to do though, like checking expiration dates on culture swabs, or moving stuff from one drawer to the next. Hopefully she's there the next time I'm there so I actually have something to do.

 

[zero0]

Get yourself a more cush volunteer gig. I'm literally on my phone ALL. THE. TIME. It's boring as **** up in that mother

I still do my work though and I'm constantly going out of my way to find ways to help out, even doing the tech's jobs at times, so nobody complains.

 

[HuskyBabe]

Our ER volunteers do almost all of our stocking, clean beds/rooms between patients, transport things between departments, etc. It is extremely helpful.. I am an ER technician and I couldn't survive without the volunteers on some days.

Must be the crappy ER I volunteered for then! Because I would have loved to be able to help like that. Nothing better than volunteering and actually feeling like you're useful and not just in the way. But again, as my original post states, volunteers have to be told or given permission to do those things-at least where I was. There's no way in hell I could just walk into a room and start doing any of these things without the nurses looking at me like I was crazy. And someone in few posts up said he just started hooking patients up to monitors....yeaaaa that's not gonna fly in a lot of places. Some ER's are probably just more lenient when it comes to volunteers but mine was very strict

 

[CBSstalker]

You must reflect on the possibility that there is a generational schism in regards to phone attachment. I happen to be one of the worst in terms of constantly checking my phone but you need to be aware that many, especially Baby Boomers and even Gen Xers see that as rude. There's nothing worse than trying to give a lecture or otherwise engage people and see 3/4th of them looking down at their phone. Unless you're a trauma surgeon on call, there's probably very little role for that.

However I frequently note that younger students don't recognize how it looks to others. I'll be honest that while I think that nurse was unnecessarily punitive I her actions toward you, it's pretty telling when someone who is there to do a job reaches for their phone instead of finding things to do. What did volunteers do 20 years ago before everyone had cell phones (let alone smart phones)? They found things to do.

You can actually see this on buses where I live. The "older" people are reading books and newspapers and not looking at a phone or some type of electronics while riding. The younger generation crowds are completely absorbed with their phones. A college student was trying to ask the driver for directions while talking on her smartphone. The student was getting all confused and taking up everyone's time. The driver got pissed and said, "Be more alert, get those things out of your ear, and listen to what I am saying." That was neat to hear. She was taking up a huge amount of time.

When I was last working in a hospital, we weren't allowed to use cell phones in the ER, especially in patient areas. We had to follow rules like patients and family members. So, I don't know why this is even an issue.

 

[Winged Scapula]

You can actually see this on buses where I live. The "older" people are reading books and newspapers and not looking at a phone or some type of electronics while riding. The younger generation crowds are completely absorbed with their phones. A college student was trying to ask the driver for directions while talking on her smartphone. The student was getting all confused and taking up everyone's time. The driver got pissed and said, "Be more alert and get those things out of your ear." That was neat to hear.

I have to wonder how it all affects patience and attention span. I feel like I can't sit through a red light without checking my phone.

 

[Grace184]

I'm pretty sure she took a picture of me sent it to the volunteer coordinator so I guess that does make her my boss now...oh well


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I love how she used HER phone to take a picture of you on YOUR phone to send to the supervisor's PHONE. What a twist....

 

[Grace184]

Did you lose the job? You could always say you were looking up a disease or a drug that you never heard of. I've honestly done that on downtime during volunteering or rotations out of curiosity.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

Did you lose the job? You could always say you were looking up a disease or a drug that you never heard of. I've honestly done that on downtime during volunteering or rotations out of curiosity.

Not really a job...just volunteering...I'm gonna go back next week...I'm only there once a week..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Grace184]

Yeah I meant to say the position,...it's good the supervisor didn't come down hard on you. If she gave you a warning though, bring homework. Or get her verbal permission to look up interesting diseases or drugs on your phone if you don't have access to a computer

 

[Aubrey Graham]

Yeah I meant to say the position,...it's good the supervisor didn't come down hard on you. If she gave you a warning though, bring homework. Or get her verbal permission to look up interesting diseases or drugs on your phone if you don't have access to a computer

I would try and bring a book...but I'm afraid I would get scolded for that as well...I guess I'll just watch the paint dry in my downtime or be more proactive in asking them if they need help...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aubrey Graham]

Is this an institutional action that needs to be reported on your application?

Yeah I'm afraid this is gonna hold me back from med school...may as well continue dropping albums and going on tour and leave medicine behind


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CBSstalker]

I have to wonder how it all affects patience and attention span. I feel like I can't sit through a red light without checking my phone.

I think it is different for professional people though. In your case, you might be getting emergency calls and calls from other doctors.

 

[Winged Scapula]

I think it is different for professional people though. In your case, you might be getting emergency calls and calls from other doctors.

Clearly I have more reason to have my phone with me at all times and to check it frequently for missed calls, emails, and text then does a medical student or hospital volunteer.

However my point was that i've become so used to being constantly "on the grid" that I can't even sit at a stoplight without checking nonprofessional things like Facebook or SDN. Therefore I'm worried about how that affects my attention span.

 

[Aubrey Graham]

Currently using my phone in downtime


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Psai]

I know that using a phone looks bad but when I'm on a rotation with long hours, there aren't any free computers nearby and I'm not doing anything at that moment, I'll do some reading or some questions. There's only so many hours in the day and a lot to learn.

Some people like to lord it over others using stupid rules or policies. Just have to figure out which people to avoid. If you can't, then learn about their pet peeves and avoid those when possible.

 

[jl lin]

I was in a similar situation to OP today. I'm a volunteer in the ED, and today on my sign-in sheet, there was a note from my volunteer coordinator saying that one of the nurses complained about me using my laptop in the ED. Volunteers have a little desk we sit at, and since I'm mostly just waiting for beds to clear out before I clean them, I brought my laptop the past few weeks to work on my med school application during the down time. I don't really blame the nurse for complaining about my laptop usage, but now I'm stuck in the ED twiddling my thumb 80% of the time. My ED volunteer routine: sign in, restock linens/some other supplies, restock blanket warmer, run a lab here and there, clean a bed here and there, grab ice or water or a meal whenever a patient requests it. The rest of my time, I just spend staring at the monitor with the list of patients, waiting for it to change to Discharged so I can clean it. I hate small talk, and I feel like I'm disrupting if I ask questions to nurses, so not sure what else I could be doing.

There's always this nurse that comes up with really tedious things for me to do though, like checking expiration dates on culture swabs, or moving stuff from one drawer to the next. Hopefully she's there the next time I'm there so I actually have something to do.

See, now I could care less if someone is using their laptop, so long as they do their stuff and are available and eager to help. There will be downtime at times, and then it gets crazy out of nowhere or it's expected b/c of the schedule, plus there are add-on and crazy admits, and then it undulates to chill again for a while. So be available. When there is clearly downtime, and you have done all you can, maybe ask the nurse in charge if while you are waiting for beds to clear, you could use your laptop to gets some work done. Volunteers need directions, but there are also limitations in terms of what they can do many times. I would think wisely using a laptop is more productive than texting inconsequential stuff to friends on a cell. IDK, maybe I'm nuts. You are a volunteer, and you aren't being paid. At the same time, realize if you knock yourself out to be helpful, this will be a plus for you.

Also, checking expiration dates on sterile equipment and supplies is important to me, else what the heck's the use in putting them on there in the first place? I consider it part of quality control, which is important. I am more anal about this than a medicine in a code cart being expired by a month or two, b/c the latter generally will not effect potency at all, whereas re: the former, well, microbes are a bitch and they are tough to keep at bay, even under the best situations. Volunteering in a hospital or clinic is so much about teamwork--and one's ability to show they are upbeat about going out of their way to be a part of making things run smoothy and effectively. If you show this, people will trust you and let you be apart of more things--so long as the person is not a totally stonato.

 

[jl lin]

Currently using my phone in downtime


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jl lin]

I would try and bring a book...but I'm afraid I would get scolded for that as well...I guess I'll just watch the paint dry in my downtime or be more proactive in asking them if they need help...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

See my reply above where it talks about asking. Seriously. Cuz if things are really slow, and you have done all that you can do at the moment, I would find that studying or doing something productive like that is reasonable--just so long as when we get slammed, you are there. And nurses texting is a gianormous pain in the butt at times IMHO. If they are that engrossed, heck, they might as well be sleeping, b/c in my view, it's more productive. Of course that's a major sin for nurses--no sleeping on the job--not even during their breaks, which totally makes sense. But at least if you are sleeping you are repairing.

I think what's most annoying are those that are so engrossed in texting--to the point that they are out of touch with what's really going on around them or are not considerate team-players b/c of it.

What makes me the angriest is that some reactionary response can lead to no use or not being allowed to have phones/smart phones at all. I have a lot of apps on my smartphone--so making a stupid rule like that b/c people become completely asinine w/ texting is crazy unfair and technologically counterproductive. Nurses that are inconsiderate of how to properly use their phones at work screw things up for other nurses. So then it's like get punished b/c the other nurse was an inconsiderate, disconnected azz. It's ridiculous that we should have to go back to handheld flip charts for reference when we have software that is superior.