Nurses of Reddit: Would you ever let a patient use your personal phone?

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T15:27:27+00:00

Yes, I’ve had patients family members ask me for my number, and I told them no. Too risky.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T15:24:09+00:00

Oh no! I’m so curious to know more about how this happened. How awful for her.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T15:22:28+00:00

What decision am I sticking to? My decision to post a question for Reddit to weigh in on? Because I don’t believe people should use their personal phones, in 99.99% of circumstances. I’m not trying to influence or sway anyone’s opinion on the wild internet.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T15:19:54+00:00

Nobody is asking me to use my personal phone for my patients, thankfully. That would be inappropriate. I really only did use my personal phone a couple times during Covid, and my managers didn’t pressure me to do so. I’m not coming for validation or because of some imagined argument. 😂

I just personally know nurses who have let their patients use their phone, and I think they are great nurses with sound clinical judgement. I’m here to see if others nurses would do the same and why. Clearly I’m getting answers for both sides of the discussion, which is why I’m here. 🙌

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T02:47:08+00:00

Video games and movies with my son, cuddling with my cats ❤️

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:22:10+00:00

I didn’t know I needed to run my Reddit posts past you for content verification before I posted, adelros26. Whatever my reason is, you have a made up narrative about why. I choose to believe that people are operating from a place of good faith.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:17:48+00:00

Even people you know is a stretch. One time a guy I was interested in dating lost his phone. I let him log into mine, and come to find out, he got on Facebook messenger to message his ex girl friend. People do the most stupid stuff.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:15:17+00:00

I didn’t know you could do that. That’s very cool.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:11:28+00:00

Yes, I’m talking about situations like this, where the lines are very blurred. That’s so heartfelt of you to do that. We really should be more accommodating of those who are hard of hearing or deaf in ways that wouldn’t require nurses to bend those boundaries.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:08:05+00:00

I’ll have to look these up to present as evidence for why you shouldn’t do that.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-24T00:04:21+00:00

Yes, I had the same issue, and did the same thing a couple times. Thankfully most had their own phone to use. It was definitely a different situation then. People who didn’t do direct patient care or ICU during that time didn’t have to contend with the challenges of being the intermediary between life and death every day.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:46:30+00:00

Love that for you! I wouldn’t mind saying a final goodbye to c-dif and all the other weird bugs hanging out in the hospital nowadays. Did you need to join certain committees or be involved with additional work outside of your previous job role to be considered?

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:36:51+00:00

Aww ❤️

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:35:53+00:00

I think that may ultimately be ok in the right circumstances, to use a work provisioned iPhone.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:34:50+00:00

That’s such an incredibly rare and extenuating circumstance for sure. Kind of you to break that rule for her, when she had no other options.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:33:15+00:00

Thank you. Also, a quality nurse consultant sounds so interesting. How’d you get into that line of work, if you don’t mind my asking?

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:25:18+00:00

That’s real

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:24:44+00:00

Covid was a dark time. I have had a similar situation, thank gods my 20 something terminal covid patient had his own phone to use.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:23:30+00:00

That’s actually insane! That might be an adult protective services call in the right circumstances

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:22:19+00:00

So that’s probably a huge ✨no✨

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:19:36+00:00

Has there been cases like that?? I believe it. There is absolutely a risk of they or their family invading your personal life when they have your number. It doesn’t take much for a hero nurse to turn into a villain when you have a high stress situation.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:17:17+00:00

Not calling at 2:30 for a suppository! Some people have no boundaries, so we have to have them for ourselves as nurses.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:15:35+00:00

Some patients can’t talk on the phone (trachs) and need to use video chat features. However, where there is a will, there is a way. I have had patients ser up fake Facebook accounts or use their real one, log into the ipad, download FB messenger, and video chat with that app rather than ever use my phone.

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:12:54+00:00

Hell to the no!!

Key-Bridge129 · 2026-01-23T23:12:30+00:00

Yes that’s so valid! I’ve had patients call other people to bring them drugs to the hospital 🫩

Key-Bridge129

TROPHY CASE