Did I do the wrong person thing?

[niccig]

I have my phone in my pocket in case DS's school calls. I've never ever used it when with a patient or used it in hallway. I have had one phone call saying DS was hurt at after care, but I was in office when that came through. Today several texts came through from emergency alert from my neighborhood when with a patient in the office and phone buzzed. I was told to not have my phone on me and leave it in office, which wouldn't have helped today as patient was in the office, so I've turned off notifications as well. I told supervisor I only had phone in pocket in case DS's school called as I'm first contact number, so I'll change that to DH. I'm ok to not have phone and have calls go to DH, but supervisor acted like it was ridiculous reason to have phone on you in case you get a call about your kid. She doesn't have kids.

Sorry for title mistake, I can't change it on Tapatalk


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[Liziz]

Well, I work in a medical office setting with the same rule about cell phones, and we enforce it too (and I'm the enforcer, and I have a kid so it's not like I don't get it), so I would have to say you were in the wrong to have the phone on you, if you'd been told not to already. That being said, I hope your supervisor wasn't too ridiculous about it, because it is a very understandable reason -- and you clearly weren't abusing it and are willing to work with it if you're planning to change the number to DH. Another thought -- can you list your office number/work number as your contact number instead of your cell? That's what we do at my offices. From the supervisor perspective, I have no problem if a staff member gets called at the office, I do have a problem if they have their cell with them (based on our rules).

[niccig]

I'm on an internship and they didn't tell me about a phone rule. I'm totally ok with not having my phone and having school call DH. That's easy fix. If I was working there I would give school the office number, but it's an internship.

I've also turned off the notifications as even if I keep phone in office, as we treat patients in that room, the phone still would've vibrated several times. So it's all turned off now.

It was the not understanding that I might get a phone call. She said I can check on breaks but they can be 3-4 hours until I can check and that won't work if DS is hurt . So changing contact to DH is better solution.


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[Liziz]

Ok, sorry, I read it wrong -- if they didn't tell you that phones weren't allowed, then you didn't do anything wrong -- and I'd be particularly irked that the supervisor acted like it was a big deal when you were willing to so quickly make a change. I thought you'd already known you weren't supposed to have the phone.

[niccig]

I was irked too. I said I was fine to not have the phone and only had it in case school called so I'll tell DS's school to call DH, and she replied that other therapists have kids and don't have phones on them and just check on breaks. I wanted to say "probably because the school calls someone else first"

I'll put it down to not getting it because not married /don't have kids, so not getting emergency phone calls.

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[JustMe]

I would also be irked (probably more than that) that she held you responsible for something she did not inform you about! Also, thank goodness your dh can be contacted! I get that you cannot be disturbed when with patients, but do you not get 5 minutes in between patients? I am so glad this is not my situation (although I have times of the day I can't be disturbed, its not all day) because it would be really rough as a single parent. Yes, I have back ups, but not being able to have any contact with anyone with 3-4 hours would be really difficult. I do understand some medical, and other positions require this and I guess that's part of the reason I have a job in which I am underpaid and my skills are under-uitlized!

If you are fine with things, that's all that matters but are you sure you don't want to ask about giving the office number out for child related emergencies with dh still being the first contact person? I would just worry about not being able to be reached for 3-4 hours if something happened to my child.

[liz]

I am glad you can have your DH be the first contact person. In our case, we sometimes get automated texts and messages on the phone so whoever picks up the phone hears an automatic message begin. I can only imagine how confusing this could be to anyone else but you. For instance, this past week we got an automated message that all schools in the district would be letting out early due to weather with "School A being dismissed at 11:45 time, School B being dismissed at 12:30, and Schools C&D were being dismissed at 1:30". In my case, I would never have gotten that message because they wouldn't know who it was for! I also work in a medical setting-everyone carries cell phones in their pockets. We leave them on mute and do not answer in front of clients, but it's super easy to check them discretely.

[pb&j]

I can't remember the last time I was in a medical provider's office and the provider's cell *didn't* go off. I understand the rule, but we are living in different times, and I can see why you wouldn't know about this office's rule.

[DualvansMommy]

I used to work as a social worker in one of major psychiatric hospitals, and remember the no phone rule around our patients. However, a lot of my coworkers had their phones on mute in pockets or jackets, including my immediate supervisor and self. We used our phones to text critical work related info to each other! And if a child's school or whatnot called, we could check discretely. Our dynamic was such that we were always all over the unit, across the hospital in court or elsewhere,, and even off site in the fields which was where I was 70 percent of the time.

I don't blame your being irked.


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[mackmama]

I think you are a therapist iirc? In that case, no cell phones should not be used with clients and they can't, unfortunately, be checked discreetly. It's ok if you didn't know/weren't told, but I think the "rules" for therapy are understandably different than for medical professionals. Don't worry about it. Maybe you could also ask your DH to text you if there is any issue he's called about, and you could check those during your 10min break between clients (if you are doing traditional 50min sessions).

[mousemom]

Yesterday I was in a doctor's office and his cell in his coat pocket actually rang while he was talking to me. He apologized and silenced it, but it honestly didn't phase me at all. I just assumed he had a reason why he needed it with him and forgot to silence it. While I was a little surprised to hear it ring, I was not at all surprised that he would have it on him. So, no I don't think you were wrong.

[ahisma]

In a medical setting, often the phone rules are related to HIPPA, IME. That's not saying that you'd violate HIPAA, but it's most effective to have an across the board policy.

[niccig]

I think you are a therapist iirc? In that case, no cell phones should not be used with clients and they can't, unfortunately, be checked discreetly. It's ok if you didn't know/weren't told, but I think the "rules" for therapy are understandably different than for medical professionals. Don't worry about it. Maybe you could also ask your DH to text you if there is any issue he's called about, and you could check those during your 10min break between clients (if you are doing traditional 50min sessions).

I'm going to be a SLP. In theory we should have the 10 mins btw clients, but it doesn't work out that way. Today I had 2.5 hour stretches when I couldn't check and earlier in the week there were a few 3 hours stretches. I was in a meeting with other medical providers and family of a patient, and there were several phones and beepers going off, but it wasn't my phone!

I'm actually OK with not having it on me, as it's bulky and doesn't fit in my pocket well. If I end up working in a setting like this, I would try to check it more often, but at the moment I am working on someone else's schedule and their rules, so I have to go along with that. I wasn't annoyed at the request, it was more the not understanding that as a parent I may need to be contacted and can't go 2-3 hours without checking.

Yesterday, I had my phone on vibrate, but I should've had it on mute, so there wouldn't have been the vibrating noise. If I do carry it with me in future jobs, I'll make sure it's on mute, so no noise from it.