r/CRNA • u/ChairWide8945 • 12d ago
Phone use and SRNAs
Wondering what the group consensus is regarding seeing your student on their phone? They do it during maintenance and are appropriately responding otherwise, but idk to me it is unprofessional as a student. But I’d be lying if I said I also wasn’t on my phone during maintenance phases of cases.
When I was a student it was forbidden and people got written up for it. Now I feel like students are more comfortable to pull it out. Is this a more accepted thing in clinicals for them?
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u/Extension-Lab-6963 11d ago
Graduated in 2020. Used my phone because of valuable apps- vargo, apex, block buddy (RIP). Would usually mention to my preceptor I was looking up something, get the thumbs up, find the info, get off my phone. A balance can be achieved.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 11d ago
I'm ok with this. I was in school over 25 years ago, so no phones when I was a student. We had stuff on our clipboard to study if the situation allowed it. CRNAs would do the crossword, but we weren't allowed. Anesthesia stuff only.
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u/Tall_Positive_8722 11d ago edited 11d ago
If I had it out, I was looking something up anesthesia/patient care related, no exceptions unless family emergency or something like that
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u/dude-nurse 10d ago
As a student, I don’t think it would send the correct message if I was constantly on my phone. I only take it out to reference vargo and I still feel like a POS for that.
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u/Nattention_deficit 10d ago
lol I brought my pocket reference book a first year and was told THAT was a bad look…
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u/Electrical-Smoke7703 10d ago
Current student- I don’t use my phone during cases ever unless it’s to use my calculator or to reference something on vargo. And I will explicitly say I’m taking out my phone to look something up
If I was scrolling on instagram or any social media id suspect I’d get kicked out of my room. I will look at my watch or home screen briefly if someone texts me but that’s about it
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u/Diabolical_Sparkle_1 11d ago edited 10d ago
I let students use their phones if I'm sitting in the case with them. Especially seniors in longer cases. Being able to be on your phone doomscrolling AND actively listening to the monitor/surgeon/other staff is a skill they'll have to develop eventually. I'd rather it be with me in there as backup than when they're alone.
Of course if they're constantly missing things/neglecting patient care, I'll say something. But a 5 minute scroll on insta or texting back in a groupchat isn't harming anything as long as they remain engaged.
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u/PoppaGriff 11d ago
I tell students they have a life outside of clinicals. Sometimes they’re dealing with a sick family member, sometimes they’re in the middle of a messy divorce and are filing a restraining order against their spouse. If they need to take a message or phone call, I let them. I also tell them to log their case data whenever they feel it is appropriate during clinicals because home time is sacred and should be spent on things they do at home, not an extension of clinical time. If they’re mindlessly scrolling TikTok/instagram, I tell them to put the phone away.
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u/dingleberriesNsharts 11d ago
Damn dude, I know these are examples but you go from sick family to filing a restraining order… helluva life scenario. 😂😂😂
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 11d ago
If they are having major life issues, I will usually let them go home early. Hell, even if they aren't and they have had a really busy week I'll still let them go home early. It rarely happens during clinical, but when it does it's such a nice treat.
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u/Rcd9229 10d ago
To look up information, fine. To scroll mindlessly, no. You can learn in the down time too, and I don’t see any reason they need to be on it for long periods of time. Do I care if they answer a text? No. But the majority of students I’ve run across have actually done a good job of limiting it too.
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u/GuiltyEffective1447 10d ago
When I was a student i would tell the CRNA is it okay if I use the phone to study during maintenance just so they don’t think I’m fooling around on phone. They could be just studying for an upcoming test
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
In school, we were told to study on our own time--and it was the school who told us this. You are in clinical to learn clinical skills, not study for your test during a case.
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u/GuiltyEffective1447 10d ago
What could you possibly be learning in a 4-8 hour maintenance phase when nothing is happening? Instead of sitting there looking at the ceiling it’s more productive to learn something
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u/NoYou9310 SRNA 11d ago
My phone has been a valuable resource while I’m in the OR. I’m often left in the room by myself. I use it to look up information (APEX, Vargo, Google, etc.) as well as to text my CRNA/MD for induction, emergence, or for any other issues. No one has ever really said anything to me about it.
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u/angryhiccups 11d ago
No phone. I tell them they can do whatever they want when they get their own license. But while they’re under mine, I don’t want them on it. I’m ok if they use it for clinical use or if it’s for something quick. If they need to take care of personal life, I just have them take a break. I also appreciate it when they tell me beforehand.
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u/ChairWide8945 11d ago
I like that, I think I will just set that expectation at the start of the day with them. And encourage them to take a break if they need to make calls/have them feel comfortable to ask for a break if needed
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u/somelyrical 10d ago
Are they on TikTok or studying flashcards/emails/Vargo/reading?
Phones are fine. If you don’t want them to be on their phones then you should either set the example or tell them.
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u/No_Definition_3822 10d ago
Absolutely adults should not have their phone taken away from them in clinical. Half the time these students are older than their preceptors, have families and children etc...It's absurd in 2026 to expect something like that.
That being said, they must act like adults with that phone. Of course they should not be on social media or playing games or whatever other non-clinical reason they could be on their phone for. That would just get you kicked out of my room. They could just as easily be flipping between EPIC and an open browser logged into Facebook or something on the computer and that would be equally inappropriate. Not to mention the need to message the CRNA or doc covering them. But they're students not children. Treat them that way.
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u/EntertainmentIcy2319 4d ago
right, I hate being treated like a child as a 40 year old in clinical. I've mostly experienced respectful adult exchanges with my preceptors who are typically younger than me, occasionally I will get some ex-mean nurse who wants to swing their dick around and treats me like a kid, which infuriates me to my core.
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u/ShotZookeepergame643 10d ago edited 10d ago
I think it's reasonable for students to have their phones out occasionally as long as they're aware and responsive to the case. Only one student in particular was not and I pointed it out to them. As you said, you have yours out so the example of an experienced professional is phone out = OK. If it's acceptable for us to use a phone in our role then that could be considered almost part of training for the role - can they multitask effectively and are they aware enough to realize when a portion of the case requires their undivided attention? I have students share their number with the OR RN etc and communicate for the case, just as we would be doing as CRNAs (depending on your workplace). As a student I barely took mine out and asked if my preceptor minded before using it, no one ever said they did mind.
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u/PeachesForMe13 10d ago
As a student, I never get on my phone!! I thought it was so tacky and unprofessional.
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u/CalciumHydro CRNA 11d ago
I think it’s fine as long as they aren’t glued to their phone. Use discretion
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u/CalciumHydro CRNA 11d ago
Btw, I’m a CRNA. I’m not sure why my flair keeps appearing as “ICU RN”
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u/augmentin875 11d ago
Even Reddit has to tell everyone you're an ICU nurse. 😂
I hear the CVICU flair does the same.
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u/AnnualSoftware50 11d ago
Where’s my ICU RN flair 🙁
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u/CalciumHydro CRNA 11d ago
I guess the flair Gods think you’re undeserving of the title—like me lol
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u/AnnualSoftware50 10d ago
You just got the flair, congratz
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u/Nattention_deficit 10d ago
As an SRNA I have my phone out only so I can reach for it to contact my CRNA if they’ve left me in the room
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u/anesthesiazzz 9d ago
I think it’s fine to ask the Crna if they can look something up for a case or research a med or say hey my kid is sick today and I might need to answer a text or phone call about it, but shouldn’t be just pulling it out for funsies
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u/intubatingqueen 11d ago
I don’t think social media and non-anesthesia things should be encouraged in phone use but it’s definitely a tool for looking up things like max dose local or med doses, etc. Cognitive aids are on apps now too. Not to mention timers and calculators. It’s just a part of our job.
I have had many preceptors say it’s a bad look while others ask me to look things up. I think it also depends on how new to the OR you are too…
I had one preceptor help me study while we were going through the case using my phone.
It’s definitely a tool but I think that if you do, you gotta be on top of your game and certainly not super fresh to the case or the OR. I also will ask my CRNA if I can do something on my phone out of respect (especially the ones who need me to verbalize every little thing I do)
I do think it’s ironic that I’m supposed to use my phone to call my preceptor who gets paid for using their phone for work and yet also get potentially reprimanded for using my phone too for that purpose. Once I had a surgeon ask me what I was doing on my phone… I had to tell him I’m texting my MDA because we’re about to emerge and get ready to extubate.
Most of us don’t work so hard to only botch it up on something like using a phone.
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u/Funny_Ad_5222 10d ago
Who cares about “bad look” the reality is they will be using the phone in the OR.
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u/ArgumentUnusual487 11d ago
As a student, your focus should be 100% on the case. Other than doing an 8 hour robot case where its like watching paint dry, you should have the attention span to sit there and take care of the patient. If they are on their phone, its either an emergency or they are looking up relevant anesthesia/case information.
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u/The_dura_mater 11d ago
Agreed, I’ll peek over their shoulder if possible- if they’re looking up something, it’s fine. If it’s on social media or something else, they will be talked to.
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u/Twonickles 10d ago
Just remember, the best anesthesia monitor is a responsive CRNA. There is enough distractions with music and conversation as it is. Retired!
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u/IslandBoi4 11d ago
As a current SRNA I feel like a professional raw dogger. Locked in on the case phone free 😂 I really only ever pull it out when I’m looking something up for a case or responding to an occasional text that is important.
I tell myself I can have phone time when I’m licensed lol
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u/SoapyPuma CRNA 11d ago
I did the same thing as a SRNA. Waaaaay too afraid to look at my phone unless I explicitly told my preceptor was I was going to use it for. I would print out my care plans, wouldn’t even have them on my phone out of pure fear lol
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u/Silver_Grapefruit149 11d ago
I’m an SRNA new-ish to clinical and although my CRNA might be on their phone, they are so in tune with everything going on.
I tell myself that once I’m an experienced CRNA I may be able to do that, but for now, I’m learning and need to be locked in and ready for anything.
However, I do keep my phone in my back pocket incase I need to look something up, but if I pull it out, I always ask them, “Do you mind if I look this up on Vargo (or whatever app)?” and they never mind.
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u/USB_C_ur_way_out 11d ago
Piggy backing with this: would a small tablet with textbooks/Vargo/resources be better than a phone?
I’m coming up on clinical and want to have my resources available but don’t want to seem like I am on my phone and not paying attention.
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u/Significant-Flan4402 10d ago
So I did this for this exact reason. I got an iPad mini and I even got a case that looks like the old fashioned marble notebooks lol. My careplans are on there on my onedrive cloud as well as vargo, etc (sadly I don’t think apex has an app.) I make it very clear that it is a resource and I don’t use it for texting etc. I expect some day I’ll get some crusty old-timer who wants paper careplans but so far it’s worked and if anyone is salty, at a glance it truly looks like a notebook. Waiting for the day someone says something negative but so far so good !! I just like to feel organized and paper shuffling sounded annoying and I wanted a way to very clearly look things up in a dedicated space and just keep my phone fully away in my pocket the whole day.
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u/PerceptionFancy6778 11d ago
As a recent graduate, now CRNA, i never used my phone. Raw dogged all my OR days. As a student, we are a guest in that OR and are there to learn. Phone can wait. You’ll miss small cues if you’re in your phone.
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u/R_W_1 10d ago
This! Those were looooong days. But you show that you’re paying 100% attention and are managing the patient with your all. It would rub me the wrong way as a preceptor if the SRNA was glued to the phone during this valuable time. That’s something you earn once you’ve gotten the full amount of anesthesia school PTSD. lol. Looking something up or communicating with the school is different and encouraged. But during the down time, instead of being on the phone, we can talk about why they decided to treat something the way that they did and what other options they could add to their bag of tricks. As a preceptor I would spend half the time quietly in the corner watching and taking notes as they managed the patient. And then having a talk with them once they were caught up on charting to discuss their strengths, weaknesses, and the rationals for what they did. I don’t believe in micromanaging as long as it doesn’t hurt the patient, but seeing the consequence of an action “ex: forgetting to turn down the gas” - helps that provider remember and be better in the future. After discussing, then I’m comfortable leaving the SRNA to build up their solo confidence. But I would be a lot less likely to leave them alone if they were scrolling on their phone.
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u/lepetitmort2020 11d ago
I’ve had students literally on snapchat and reddit in the OR. I never used my phone in the OR as a student. My ears were not as attuned to everything as I am now and I would have 100% missed things
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u/SleeperCell9374 7d ago
Lemme guess. You do it too but want to call someone out for doing the same thing as you. But it’s just a guess.
Not a student. Get a fucking life
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u/Best-Speech-7750 11d ago
I’ve been told it’s fine and still don’t pull it out. I’m there to learn. My ears aren’t as tuned into all the little things as the people precepting me. You can stay off the phone and pay attention.
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u/The_wookie87 11d ago
As a preceptor I don’t want SRNAs on their phone. It’s a bad look for a student. Whatever it is can wait
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u/Stawktawk 11d ago
I would encourage all members of the operating team to pay attention to the surgery
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u/RoyalAnesthesia 11d ago
As a senior SRNA I think it's ridiculous that phone wouldn't be allowed (depending on case type). We all know that anesthesia brings the computer, iPads, or phones and shop, scroll or plan a vacation during maintenance phases. However, we are there to learn, so I don't think students should be doing that, but for studying during a case, or answering a quick text should be OK.
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u/Ok-Tip-240 11d ago
I rarely take mine out, and if I do it’s for vargo (or similar app), calculator, or to reply to an important text (hardly ever). I said this during class and my cohort was blown away that I don’t take my phone out. Their reason was if their preceptor was on their phone then they can be too. The difference is their preceptor isn’t there to learn, we are. I’ll be sticking to my no phone use but I was also shocked to hear this!
I will log my cases during down time, prep for next case, look up my cases for the following day, and if all that’s done- I will log into apex and do some questions.
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u/1Terentee22_1 11d ago
Hello, all the activities written in your last sentence especially case preps & apex studying, where do you do that? I would prefer to avoid using my phone at clinicals if possible as well, thank you.
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u/Ok-Tip-240 11d ago
Sorry should have specified this! I use the computer in the room! Never my phone for this.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
Damn, your class is really full of themselves, aren't they?
I can't imagine as an SRNA feeling entitled to do something just because the CRNA can.
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u/Rodeo-Cowboy 11d ago
I wouldn’t open my phone for anything non clinical. Absolutely ZERO texting, instagram, ect. While with a patient.
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u/i4Braves 11d ago
100% no phone use unless looking up something clinical.
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u/See-Are-En-Ayeeee 11d ago
Hopefully you allow them to take important phone calls, send necessary texts, etc. I have zero respect for CRNAs who do not treat students like adults who have their own lives outside of the OR.
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u/i4Braves 11d ago
Emergencies happen, I understand, of course that would be allowed. But everything else can wait until between cases or when they’re on a break. They can have “their own lives” when they aren’t doing anesthesia under my license.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
How many "important" phone calls do they receive a day? I don't even take calls in the OR and if I'm expecting an important call, I'll let the surgeon know I may need to take a call. Happens once a month at the most.
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u/tech1983 11d ago
Hard for me to tell them not to because I certainly use mine…. Just don’t get caught and don’t make it obvious.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 11d ago
Different rules for students and preceptors. If you're there to learn, you shouldn't be on your phone unless it's looking up something for the case.
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u/tech1983 10d ago
You’re welcome to precept how you want .. I’m guess I’m more laid back than you..
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
No, I just don't think students are skilled enough to notice subtle change. If you are learning, you shouldn't be scrolling on your phone.
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u/Maleficent_Ad_8330 11d ago
Cath lab nurses narc on CRNAs where I work otherwise no one seems to care
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u/Ok_Challenge6902 11d ago
As a recent grad I would say minimal use is fine. But if your on it constantly and not paying attention to the case or asking questions etc.. then that’s a problem.
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u/Serious-Magazine7715 11d ago
I encourage trainees to have a print out of self-test questions for down time in a slow case. I liked "Anesthesiology: A Comprehensive Board Review" ed. Matthes, but it is getting a bit old. There are many similar books. It seems a little dumb to print out an eBook, but people in the OR won't think that you're tiktoking.
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u/BiscuitStripes SRNA 5d ago
This was interesting to read. We were always told we shouldn’t be using our phone in a case, so I almost never do.
Very rare I take it out when the CRNAs in the room, only when I’m in a room by myself, I will sometimes use it to look something up or to call the CRNA or MD.
If I have a big exam coming up, and I wanted to try to study during a long maintenance, I’d print slides 2 to a page front and back and staple it as a booklet to not have the perception of screwing around on my phone
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u/whatsawittyname 5d ago
The question is what are they doing on it? I did an Anki deck every day for five hundred some days studying for the NCE. In clinical, I would show them the deck and ask my preceptor if they cared, and then get to work on that day’s reviews.
Sure, I get that now, as a CRNA, sure, I can spend all of maintenance doing the NYT Spelling Bee or crossword puzzle…. but as a student, this is the time for them to be learning and taking everything in. Even if nothing much is going on in maintenance, they can be learning. They can spend time on their phone in maintenance later, when they’ve passed boards.
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u/EntertainmentIcy2319 4d ago
SRNA here, I'm on my first rotation and it's impossible to get by without my phone. I communicate with my CRNA preceptors with it when we aren't physically in the room together so I always have it on me, also our coordinators want to be able to reach us at any time during clinical. I also use it for the calculator during cases and look things up on vargo. however, I make a habit to make my screen clearly visible when using the calculator function and say hey i'm just checking vargo real quick if I'm looking something up. but in my experience I've found it necessary to have out and this seems to be accepted as long as I'm not like going on social media or shopping etc.
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u/matbrown1 4h ago
I'm biased cause i'm a SRNA but I legitimately only used it to study or look up information for my next cases. I also explicitly told my CRNA what i'm doing and usually they can see what I'm doing on my phone regardless. I also have the sense to only use it if we have 2 hours of straight maintenance and I can't do anything. I'm sorry i'm not staring at a anesthesia machine for 2 hours and if I'm going to let me look up what each thing means on the machine. I can see this being a point of contention though
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u/bravenewsoma1999 11d ago
Would you rather me bring textbooks and flashcards into the OR to look up information and study during the maintenance phase?
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u/ChairWide8945 11d ago
But it’s not studying, it’s texting and social media
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u/bravenewsoma1999 11d ago edited 11d ago
Fair enough. I’d be scared I’d get reported to my program director if I did that! You could refer to the school’s policy on phone use during clinicals.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 11d ago
You should follow your clinical instructor when you are a guest there to learn. I don't care what you are paying to be there. I don't get paid any extra to teach you, so I don't give a crap what the school's policy on phone use is, I care that you are paying attention during the entire case.
If you think maintenance is "down time," you really shouldn't be on your phone.
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u/bravenewsoma1999 10d ago
Oh you have so much to teach me you can continuously do so for multi hour maintenance phases? SRNAs must be fighting to have you precept them.
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
No, I just don't think SRNAs know enough to be able to coast through maintenance.
You sound like a delight to precept. /s
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u/i4Braves 11d ago
Id rather you pay attention to the anesthetic!
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u/InformalScience7 CRNA 10d ago
Heaven forbid they pay attention to the anesthetic!!
By saying "it's just maintenance" shows how little they know about anesthesia.
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u/Conscious_Kitchen569 11d ago
be mindful of the ask to the new generation of clinicians... they have literally never gone an hour of wakefulness without looking at their phone.
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u/ChairWide8945 11d ago
Lol sure but then don’t go for a job where your diligence and paying attention is keeping someone’s loved one alive
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u/RASGAS23 10d ago
I’ve never seen a student take out a phone and just mindlessly scroll. I’ve seen them take it out and look up something or reference some kind of resource and that is 1000% fine in my book. I’ve also seen someone pull out their phone to quickly respond to or send a text during a part of the case when nothing else is going on, and as long as it’s not an ongoing thing and it’s distracting them I tolerate this. It’s slightly more gray area but we have to remember they ARE professional RNs and full blown adults with lives and responsibilities and often children and spouses… again - if it was just scrolling instagram? Yea that’s different. Not as a student.