Debate about cell phones in hospitals.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

When I worked at the University of Hospitals, there were cell phones all over- in fact, many doctors and nurses used them for their job. The nurses in labor & delivery and NICU especially needed them. In fact, I was but a lowly janitor, and I had to carry pager, in case a bed needed to be done "stat" or someone needed to get a hold of me- in a large hospital, you need some communication like that.

I didn't find people's cell phone conversations to be distracting or annoying at all, the hospital was so busy it scarcely mattered. And for the people who were waiting with or for loved ones, I can hardly blame them for wanting to contact someone.

[Edwina's Secretary]

And really... a hospital is not the place to go if you are expecting restful peace and quiet! Try getting a good night's sleep in one of those places...

(BTW...it was the admitting physican who told me I could use my cell phone in the emergency room....)

[sparks19]

LOL I really don't udnerstand why this is such a soft spot.... I mean... how did people manage to survive before cell phones were around? How did anyone get a hold of anyone?

Most often than not a hospital will contact your emergency contact if you are in the hospital. Other than that.... they can find a way to contact anyone that needs to know.

I just can't fathom WHY you MUST use a cell phone in a hospital. AND if you HAVE to call someone to tell them that someone is at the hospital... why can't you just step outside.

Wonderful... so SOME people put them on vibrate.... but too many people have the volume CRANKED up with some annoying tune blaring out of the phone... is that nessecary?

it is not hard to have respect for people around you. There is no need to be loud and boisterous... or to have your cell phone constantly ringing.... TURN IT OFF!!!!!!!!!! it's not too much to ask... I'm sure you won't stop breathing if you don't have it on lol It's not a life line... it's a bloody phone. people can wait to talk to you.

[Edwina's Secretary]

When you are the patient it is a little hard to step outside to call. Excuse me...please take out all these tubes and devises so I can go outside and make a call? Doesn't work too well. How is it any different if I call on my cell or call on a landline theyoffered me (which did not have long distance capabilities?)

And by the way...they did offer to tell whoever was waiting in the lobby...however, I had driven myself to the hospital.

Do you think the phones in the hospital rooms should be removed as well? How are those any different?

[sparks19]

When you are the patient it is a little hard to step outside to call. Excuse me...please take out all these tubes and devises so I can go outside and make a call? Doesn't work too well. How is it any different if I call on my cell or call on a landline theyoffered me (which did not have long distance capabilities?)

And by the way...they did offer to tell whoever was waiting in the lobby...however, I had driven myself to the hospital.

Do you think the phones in the hospital rooms should be removed as well? How are those any different?

for patient use.... perhaps... but make your phone call quietly and then shut it off. there is no need for anyone to have their cell phones ON... and ringing off the hook in a hospital. If the hospital refuses to call your emergency contact (although i have never heard a hospital refuse to call your emergency contact if you are admitted) then you must get a hold of someone somehow (again never heard of a hospital refusing to notify anyone) Even when I had my asthma attack and was admitted THEY called to notify my emergency contact... even though I was probably only going to be there for a couple of hours. but you notify one person... they can notify everyone else and then you can shut your phone off. or is it LOL

As for landlines in a room.... again if someone wants to see how you are doing... they can come visit you. perhaps they charge for phone use to discourage people who want to just yak away on the phone all the time. Private room? sure you are only disturbing yourself.... but you dont need to disturb others. I can't stand when people have loud conversations whether they are on a phone or not. I think if someone can't keep their voice down they should be asked to leave, personally. But the hospital staff shouldn't have to babysit your guests. and I say this as a very loud person (but even I can control myself and use my indoor voice) My dad is also very loud and apparently doesn't have an indoor voice.... I am always telling him to quiet down, there is no need to yell, I am right beside him.

LOL people can't live without their cell phones? how did our species ever survive before cell phones were invented?

Do you know why most elderly people don't use cell phones.... because they know how to live without one. They managed to make it through life without a phone glued to their ear.... *GASP* how do they do it?

Again, If you MUST use your phone while in a hospital (if you aren't hooked up to machines lol) go outside and then shut it off when you come back in the hospital. LOL I really don't understand why that is so hard to do lol

Trust me when I go into labour the last thing I want to listen to is my husband calling everyone. i will survive for a few minutes if he steps outside to make his calls.

Logan, see you have the common sense to shut your phone off... most people don't. it's like if you shut off your phone... you will just drop dead. if everyone were able to do that or could comprehend that kind of courtesy there would be no need for debate.

I just don't get the "but it makes life so easy" thing.... SO WHAT... life is tough.... you can go without a cell phone or step outside to use it. Life went on just fine before cell phones. SHUT IT OFF! you will live yes it's convenient... but not nessecary at all times.... if it is not nessecary then you should use discretion on when and where you use it.

Now do you just have your cell phones cranked up while at work and just talk to your friends whenever you feel like it? probably not. WHY MUST you do it in a hospital.

[Lady's Human]

Sparks, I disagree with you vehemently on this one.

Hospitals charge an arm and a leg for phone usage. If the cell phones don't interfere with their instruments, then I see no reason not to allow them.

Is there some discretion called for? Absolutely, but discretion is called for any time one is having a conversation in a public area, be it on a cell phone or in person.

[sparks19]

Sparks, I disagree with you vehemently on this one.

Hospitals charge an arm and a leg for phone usage. If the cell phones don't interfere with their instruments, then I see no reason not to allow them.

Is there some discretion called for? Absolutely, but discretion is called for any time one is having a conversation in a public area, be it on a cell phone or in person.

I wonder why.... perhaps because they don't want every tom dick and harry yaking at the top of their lungs and having everyone and their brother calling so there is non stop ringing going on

[Lady's Human]

Cell phones in hospitals are a godsend.

After going through a long-distance pregnancy with my wife, one surgery and one ER visit that wound up as a hospital stay, I would have gone insane without it.

Between the long distance charges in a hospital room and the fact that we now reside 300 miles away from family, it is a great comfort to be able to call on a cell phone rather than pay the hospital $$$ for a simple phone call.

[wombat2u2004]

LOL I really don't udnerstand why this is such a soft spot.... I mean... how did people manage to survive before cell phones were around? How did anyone get a hold of anyone?

Most often than not a hospital will contact your emergency contact if you are in the hospital. Other than that.... they can find a way to contact anyone that needs to know.

I just can't fathom WHY you MUST use a cell phone in a hospital. AND if you HAVE to call someone to tell them that someone is at the hospital... why can't you just step outside.

Wonderful... so SOME people put them on vibrate.... but too many people have the volume CRANKED up with some annoying tune blaring out of the phone... is that nessecary?

it is not hard to have respect for people around you. There is no need to be loud and boisterous... or to have your cell phone constantly ringing.... TURN IT OFF!!!!!!!!!! it's not too much to ask... I'm sure you won't stop breathing if you don't have it on lol It's not a life line... it's a bloody phone. people can wait to talk to you.

Yeah....I agree with you Sparksy.......I think the bloody things are annoying....like little alarm clocks going off all the time.
It's funny how people always try and shove their rights down everyones throat, by being so bloody rude to them.
Wombat

[sparks19]

Yeah....I agree with you Sparksy.......I think the bloody things are annoying....like little alarm clocks going off all the time.
It's funny how people always try and shove their rights down everyones throat, by being so bloody rude to them.
Wombat

LOL I don't know about you.... but the sound I dread most is my alarm clock going off in the morning.... why would I want that sound non stop all day. HAHA

I mean don't get me wrong. i have a cell phone. It is ALWAYS on vibrate.... I don't think I even know what my ringers sound like because I just don't ever use one. I have it on when I am away from my husband because he is my transportation and we don't have a phone at work. If he calls, he leaves me a message letting me know he will be late or what have you. But mostly I have it because we don't have a phone at the store (right now) and if something happens during my pregnancy I need to get a hold of him... again I don't drive so he is my only transportation lol. other than that.... my phone sits on my dresser and is never used. I don't take it when we go out.... I don't take it anywhere other than when I am going to be alone. I don't NEEEEEED it so why would I want it one me all the time so everyone and their brother can call me to ask what my favourite colour is... LOL they can wait till I get home to find out.

OR they can email me... at least that is quiet

[wombat2u2004]

LOL I don't know about you.... but the sound I dread most is my alarm clock going off in the morning.... why would I want that sound non stop all day. HAHA

I mean don't get me wrong. i have a cell phone. It is ALWAYS on vibrate.... I don't think I even know what my ringers sound like because I just don't ever use one. I have it on when I am away from my husband because he is my transportation and we don't have a phone at work. If he calls, he leaves me a message letting me know he will be late or what have you. But mostly I have it because we don't have a phone at the store (right now) and if something happens during my pregnancy I need to get a hold of him... again I don't drive so he is my only transportation lol. other than that.... my phone sits on my dresser and is never used. I don't take it when we go out.... I don't take it anywhere other than when I am going to be alone. I don't NEEEEEED it so why would I want it one me all the time so everyone and their brother can call me to ask what my favourite colour is... LOL they an wait till I get home to find out.

OR they can email me... at least that is quiet

Hehehe....yep....thats right.
But I love the ones who have that phone glued to their ears even as they are walking along the street. One has to walk around them.....they are so far out of touch with who is in front of them that they'd walk over ya.
But yeah....I reckon we were just so much better off without those things.
Wombat

[lizbud]

LOL I really don't udnerstand why this is such a soft spot.... I mean... how did people manage to survive before cell phones were around? How did anyone get a hold of anyone?

Well I don't understand why you have such a soft spot in favor of banning
cell phones from hospitals ? If you don't like them,fine, don't use them, but
I really doubt you can persuade the folks around you to return to the old days.


How did folks survive without them before? Don't know, but they don't have
to do it now. I believe hospitals have relaxed the strict rules agains their use
inside hospitals because they don't interfere with the sensative monitoring
equipment as they thought they would.

[Lady's Human]

How can people survive without cell phones?

We can, but choose not to.

I don't live tied to a cell phone, far from it. I hate the things, BUT.......

when it can make life easier for two traumatized kids, mom, dad AND the baby sitter, the complaint is what, exactly?

Visiting instead of calling? Oops, sorry, the relatives on both sides of the family live 5+ hours away. What made the move away from family easier?

Easy communications.

[Cinder & Smoke]

And really... a hospital is not the place to go if you are expecting restful peace and quiet!
Try getting a good night's sleep in one of those places...

Oooooh, How TRUE!

* Midnite:Thirty ... (SOUND asleep) ... <snaps on ALL Lights> ...
"Hey Bub! Here, take your sleepie pill!" <gulp>
She leaves - with the LIGHTS Burning BRIGHTLY!

* Oh:dark:Thirty in the AM ... A Doc and his "Assistant" <stomp> into the room ...
<snap> and EVERY light in the room comes on - both beds!
LOUD Babbling between the two of them - about the last patient they woke up ...
"Assistant" <grabs> MY wrist for a pulse ...
"Doc" looks at the chart on the bed ... "Oooopsie - wrong patient!"
They adjourn to the window bed ... and start molesting my roomie.

Their "discussion" could have been heard out at the nurses station!
THEN the cell >>RINGS<< ... for an eternity ... Dippy Assistant answers hers ...
"Herrow ... Herrow ... Herrow ..." - while the darn thing CONTINUES to >>RING<<!
"Doctor, I think that might be YOUR phone ..."

He got it answered on about the TENTH ring!
He didn't need the phone - whoever he was SHOUTING AT could have just
opened their window and heard him fine!
Then they left ... leaving ALL our lights burning brightly!

* Then there were the 6:00 AM Wake-Ups to "get ready" for a test that wasn't
scheduled to start till 9:00 AM.

And they *b!tched* about me yappin on the cell dinger!