To tell my boss she can't look through my pockets?

[ScaryBoss]

I'm a nurse in the nhs.

New boss is randomly stopping people and demanding to see their nails to make sure they're clean and not too long. Checking earrings, socks, etc conform to uniform policy. I can kind of cope with this though do slightly resent it.

But also asking you to empty your pockets to make sure you don't have a mobile phone in your pocket? Can she do this? A police officer couldn't without a warrent?

There's nothing in the uniform policy saying you can't have your phone in your pocket. Obv taking it out and answering calls or texting would be very unprofessional. However a lot of staff have their phone in their pocket on silent incase a school or childminder need to contact us. So we'd feel it vibrate and go and check it when possible after doing what we're doing.

We can't give a ward/land line number to schools, etc as we are often moved to different wards without notice so don't know where we are from one day to another.

Abbie, that's it completely. I don't want to be forced like a naughty kid to empty my pockets. Even if I don't have a mobile in them I don't see why I should. Its demeaning.

Realistically unless I want my arse on a plate I suppose I'm going to have to do as I'm told. Even if she can't get me into trouble for refusing to empty my pockets I think refusing would mark my card big time. Makes me really angry.

Believe me she has better things to worry about than doing nail checks and pocket inspections.

Mameluah, I wouldn't be pleased.

I'd be wondering why she's farting about checking nails instead of sorting out the staffing crisis, lack of equipment, high sickness rates, staff retention problems, staff morale problems, lack of training, and general disorganised shambles.

Nice to have mobile reception at work, so no chance of someone phoning me on my mobile and getting through.

I'd be wondering why she's farting about checking nails instead of sorting out the staffing crisis, lack of equipment, high sickness rates, staff retention problems, staff morale problems, lack of training, and general disorganised shambles.

Pocket checks are easier and if you have a bit of a power thing, more satisfying.

I take mameulah's point too though, but overall I am wary of bosses who are more about small issues than big problems, or more about bossing and being seen to boss than they are about leadership, support and ideas. That may be unfair to your boss, of course, I don't know her.

But treating the ward like an episode of Grange Hill is not a good sign.

Scary, you say new boss - is she just new to you, or new to the role?
Could be she is just panicking about showing how efficient she is and might calm down once she has been in post for a while.
I think she is wrong and understand how you feel, but don't jump too fast, out of the frying pan.......... Is there any chance of a lighthearted quip if she approaches you again? A way of getting your point over without actually saying something you could get pulled up about?

your boss would not dream of doing this to a doctor, and is not treating you as a professional. Since you use your phone clinically, I think you should put in writing to her a request for something to replace all the things it does. Like a multi-lingual translator! Copy it to your Union.

I also work in the nhs as a nurse on the wards and I wish my managers paid attention to the state of some of our nurses nails. False nails,nail varnish gel nails that are very long etc, all against infection control policy.

Our trust have policies in place stating no mobile phones to be kept on person during shifts. But random pocket checks sound utterly bizzare.

Some people have given various solutions. Personally I'm amazed that a pager and communal calculator would be more hygienic than a mobile phone but every day's a school day.

If you're going to have to comply then I would send a very calm email saying you accept the policy but you need clarity on how you will be contacted in an emergency situation bearing in mind you are the emergency contact for school age children. As you say, you could probably refuse to turn your pockets out but sometimes you have to pick your battles.

Also, I've had rubbish doctors and nurses that haven't been using mobiles when they talk to me. If someone is going to be unprofessional/lacking empathy etc the use of a mobile phone is just another way for them to be unprofessional.

Scary- I completely retrained and work in accounts now. family friendly hours, higher pay now. Not what I loved doing but its a hell of a lot less stressful even with end of financial year accounting and end of month etc.

HEELS99- Teachers do have mobile phones on them! The dc have often complained about how its unfair that their teacher has been 'playing' (no doubt texting or reading a text rather than playing angry birds I'm sure) on thier phone but they aren't allowed theirs. I tell the dc when they are teachers they too can have their phone in the school day. I helped out reading a few times and dd's teachers iphone was on the desk for all to see and she checked it regularly, I doubt for the time as the classroom has a huge clock.

I think you should be allowed mobiles.
As long as they arent being used taking staff away from patients.
Maybe the clenliness could be check along with nails.
My consultant answered phone in appt but i didnt mind

OTOH i dont think office staff should have unresticted internet access as they seem to always be on it.

I think the key is making sure its not seen as acceptable messing on phone in front of patients rather than stopping people being contactable.

I think they should be able to search staff but only if stealing is suspected.

Funny to think a communal calculatir would be less of an infection risk.
Surely phones, pens computers, doors, toilets.

In my office the computers/mice were never ever cleaned

Teachers do have mobile phones on them! The dc have often complained about how its unfair that their teacher has been 'playing' (no doubt texting or reading a text rather than playing angry birds I'm sure) on their phone but they aren't allowed theirs. I tell the dc when they are teachers they too can have their phone in the school day. I helped out reading a few times and dd's teachers iphone was on the desk for all to see and she checked it regularly, I doubt for the time as the classroom has a huge clock.

And at my school, if caught, would have been disciplined. It was against policy

I'm an NHS Ward Manager and I check the nails, earrings and socks of my staff, however they don't know I'm doing it, I just cast my eyes over everyone during handover and ask anyone who is not complying with the uniform policy to stay and talk to me when resport has finished, I wouldn't say anything in public.

It is strictly against our Trust's policy to have a mobile phone in your uniform pocket and I would tackle this if it happened.

I know where my staff are if they are ever sent to another ward and would always track them down in an emergency.

I have just been discharged from hospital myself and was shocked to find all the staff had mobiles in their pockets. I was talking to an HCA as she was making my bed this morning. She broke off mid-conversation to answer her phone, I couldn't believe it!

As an ex-nurse and veteran of several large hospital buildings, I reckon that if someone phoned the switchboard and said it was a child-related emergency, either the switchboard or your base ward would hunt you down pretty quickly.

Do you have a Union rep op? Or maybe check with HR? She sounds horrendous - no wonder you have sickness issues if she is that bad. Also if she is clacking around in high heels, that is against trust policy. I loathe people who don't practice what they preach. Lead by example goes a long way in my book.

I would challenge anyone to phone up a trust switchboard with a nurses name and attempt to get hold of them. Half the time you try and get hold of a consultant or their secretary and you are met with a blank. That's after the consultant had been with the trust for 20+ years.

When I started at my current trust, we were told by security to keep phones on pockets due the theft risk and the lack of lockers. Personally I think mobile phones are awful and describe myself as a very light user, but occasionally if someone from work needs me in an emergency I will give out my personal number. Many of the current consultants are now being issued with work mobiles rather than pagers. That in itself can cause other problems, probably not for this thread.

Good luck with finding a new job, op

I would also like to add that I don't think that a phone should ever be answered in front of a patient. It should be on silent and hopefully they will leave a magic.

If it's not in your uniform or dress policy then she cannot enforce it, and the same goes with the mobile phone - I would contact your Union rep if that's the case. We had a similar boss - it all kicked off when she tried to ban us from wearing something that other staff were allowed to wear, and enough was enough.

Should have added - obviously you should not be taking calls etc when dealing with patients, and she would have reason to speak to you if you were, but I suspect that you are intelligent enough to have worked this out all by yourself

I work with consultants in a tertiary clinic. They regularly answer their mobiles during consultations, but it is always work related and usually about a post op patient who is unwell and a junior colleague asking for advice/input. Mobiles are no longer just for personal communication and a quick way of getting through and bypassing the switchboard.

We are now not allowed to use postit notes, and now spend ages looking for scrap pieces of paper to jot something down.

JADS I have to answer my phone in front of patients. Picking up a message that I'm urgently needed in ICU (or paeds, or maternity, or theatre 3) 10 minutes after someone has left it may be 10 minutes too late. When I'm on duty I cover emergencies, obstetrics, ICU, ED and cardiac arrests. Patients are surprisingly tolerant of my phone use. I do have different ringtones for different numbers (family on one, colleagues on a second and hospital calls on a third) so if it's family or colleagues I divert it to answer phone.

I work with nurses who are also on crash teams, or flight retrieval teams, or MET - all of whom are required to be contactable within working hours by phone.

And I would say it's more unprofessional and demeaning to be made to turn your pockets out like a naughty child than to answer a work related call politely.

Sorry Hic I meant to add a sentence describing your scenario as an exception, but somehow didn't .

The whole situation is about professionalism. I agree that the op is having her professional integrity questioned which is unfair to those who use their mobiles in a correct manner.

I would have thought that unless it was explicitly stated in the contract you signed that they could spot check your pockets that she cannot do this and is relying on you not answering her back.

We have a policy of no mobiles in clinical areas due to most newer phones being camera phones and issues with confidentiality/social media. I realise that isnt what you are questioning though.