Debate about cell phones in hospitals.

[Daisy and Delilah]

As far as I know(after working at a plant that built cellphone parts for 10 years), cellphones run on radio frequency. At least they did when I worked at that job. What hospital machines would they be affecting supposedly? Is this affecting equipment the same as in an airplane? Just curious.

If this is the case, and machines were being affected, why would they just be discovering it recently?

[Lady's Human]

The worry with cellphones in hospitals was twofold.

One, the signals from the older, higher power analog phones did cause disruption in sensitive computer circuits. This would cause interference with medical monitors, as most med monitors are specialized computers. As cell phones are now using much lower powered digital signals, this is no longer a concern.


Some hospitals use wireless systems, and there was minor concern about interference with the wireless systems in use. Completely different frequencies, not a problem.

Hence the lift of the ban.

[sparks19]

As far as I know(after working at a plant that built cellphone parts for 10 years), cellphones run on radio frequency. At least they did when I worked at that job. What hospital machines would they be affecting supposedly? Is this affecting equipment the same as in an airplane? Just curious.

If this is the case, and machines were being affected, why would they just be discovering it recently?

They aren't just discovering it recently.... I was just saying.

I don't know what machines specifically but it's some of the monitors or something like that that they thought for years cell phones interfered with... that was why you were supposed to shut your phone off in the hospital. it was thought that it interfered with some of their equipment. then just recently (at least here anyway) some hospitals decided it wasn't true... other hospitals still believe it is possible and still tell you to turn off your cell phone.

[sparks19]

The worry with cellphones in hospitals was twofold.

One, the signals from the older, higher power analog phones did cause disruption in sensitive computer circuits. This would cause interference with medical monitors, as most med monitors are specialized computers.

two, hospitals use wireless systems, and there was concern about interference with the wireless systems in use. (completely different frequencies, not a problem)

there you go D and D that should answer your question. i dont know what specific equipment they were worried about though

[Daisy and Delilah]

Thanks to both of you

I have a cell phone and I keep it turned off all the time unless I'm expecting a call from someone. I use it to call my family when I leave work. It comes in handy whenever I need to call someone while in the road. This is just my choice and may not be the choice of others.

I am quite often irritated by cell phone conversations if they're not showing respect for other people, when respect is called for. Working at a library, cellphones are not allowed but we have even become more lenient with those rules to accommodate the necessity of the phone calls. I think it's okay to use a cellphone, most anywhere, but respect is the key.

These days, convenience is our new way of life. No matter how much we object to alot of things, we might as well put up with them because they're not going anywhere. What the heck, I used to despise computers. Look at me now!! On another note....what did we do before we got them?

sparks; I understand your point but I think it's just an issue of the proper use of the phone as opposed to banning them all together. Hospitals are very noisy and some of the most annoying places on earth, all by themselves(just ask Phred ). I personally can't see why an occasional conversation on the phone would be noticed that much by anybody. If it becomes excessive, someone needs to say something about it if it's truly bothering them. JMHO

I almost forgot to throw in another observation of mine. Anytime I've been in the hospital, I hated it because it was lonely(hopefully this doesn't sound contradictory to what I've already said). Anyone who has been hospitalized probably knows what I mean. If I would have had a cell phone, I wouldn't have felt like I was trapped in a prison. Using the hospital phone just didn't appeal to me

[Catlady711]

While I realize I work at a VET hospital not a human hospital, and I'm having to assume that human hosptials run into at least some similar hassles that we did at work. I'm guessing that some of the no cell phone rules may have to do with doctors being able to discuss treatment etc. with the patients and cell phone conversations interfering.

The reason I say this is...

Until a few years ago our vet hospital allowed cell phones inside. We had the usual loud talkers, people who just HAD to answer that call from the kid at home wondering what was for dinner right when the dr. was discussing what to be expected during an upcoming major surgery, walki talki mode set on LOUD so you could clearly hear both ends of the conversation through closed doors, annoying and LOUD ring tones (all of which I might mention tend to frighten timid animals which puts us at higher risk of getting bit).

The FINAL straw was a few years ago. This actually happened! We had a client come in already talking on his cell phone. He sat down in the lobby with his large dog. Never said a word to us and would NOT answer us when we asked his name. We had to match up the dogs discription with the files to figure out who he even was, and check with the appointment book just to find out why he was there! He did respond by getting up when we called the dog's name.

So we put him in a room (not so much as a break in the cell phone convo), and we could hear him in there just yakking away. It wasn't an important call from the end we could hear. At some point while he was in there we heard him say 'bye' and it got quiet. Yay, the guy hung up finally! So much for our elation, nope, do you know what he did next? He dialed up someone else and started up the yaking on the cell phone again. Once more didn't appear to be an important discussion, more like social calls.

So when his turn came the dr. walked in the room, the guy on the phone didn't even look up to acknowledge the dr!! He wouldn't respond to any questions asking about the dog's health since his last visit. So the dr. just did his examination, all while the guy is yakking away. The dog appeared healthy and happy, was due for a vaccination as I recall, and we went ahead and did that and told the owner unless he had questions that he was done. The guy didn't even so much as NOD and walked to the check out with the dog, yaking on his cell phone the ENTIRE time!!

From what our receptionist said, the man talked the ENTIRE time he was checked out, still never responded to questions or acknowledged ANYONE. Just flopped his credit card on the counter, gathered his reciept and left with the dog, STILL yakking on the phone!!!

Later that day the boss put up signs all over the hospital saying NO CELL PHONES INSIDE THE BUILDING!

I'm guessing that if human dr's have had similar things happen, or had someone else in the room yakking on the cell phone while they are trying to discuss a serious medical condition to a patient, that they'd be a little 'down' on cell phones also.

It's not the phones themselves that are the problem, it's the people that use them, and HOW they use them.

[Daisy and Delilah]

CatLady--that guy would have driven me to grabbing the cellphone and whacking him over the head with it. That was a display of nothing but disrespect and complete abandonment of manners. Not to mention his lack of taking responsibility for his dog or his business at hand. Perhaps the doctor/staff should have walked over to him and explained that the phone had to go or he could take his business elsewhere.

The doctor did the right thing by hanging up the signs. Someone talking into a phone while they're doing business with me is rude and inexcusable. He is a good example of why the banning of cell phones is an issue in some places. He gives the phone usage a bad name for no good reason. It is a shame that a blatant display of bad judgement might take away something that may save the day for another person.

[Cinder & Smoke]

That guy would have driven me to grabbing the cellphone and
whacking him over the head with it.

Someone talking into a phone while they're doing business with me is rude and inexcusable.

And what do you do or say when ...

The Offending Cell-Yapper is none other than your Doctor!?

I swear I've got one Doc that has NEVER completed an Office Visit nor a Hospital Rounds Visit
without accepting at least one cell call!
And the receipt of that call often "requires" the initiation of a call to someone else!

HEY - Quack Person!
Pay attention to ME, please. ... You can jabber to your Cronies later!

[shais_mom]

What about patients gabbing on landline phones? Should those be taken out as well? Might disturb the patient in the next bed?

Last year I was in the emergency room...as a patient. There are many, many area codes in SoCal. They had a phone I could use to call my husband and tell him I was there...but the phone would not call his area code. Had I not had my cell phone to use there would not have been a way for me to talk to him. Same once I was admitted. Only way I could call him was on my cell.

You are assuming cell phone usage is only by visitors. What about patients?

I haven't read any of the rest of the replies but this is an EXCELLANT point. I WORK in a hospital and a couple weeks ago we had a patient on the (room)phone with a drunk friend of his yelling so loudly the lady down the hall asked if they could shut him up. Oh did I mention that this was in the middle of a blizzard so no one was going anywhere AND after 11pm??? Mind you patients are filling out PRESS GAINEY http://www.pressganey.com/ customer satisfaction surveys after every hospital visit and I'm sure that the employees will be the ones that get blistered over this when it was a patient b/c you can't tell them what to do. (we just had an old man (his name was listed in his survey) that said there were too many fat people employed at our facility) gggrr
A couple years ago when we didn't allow cell phones in our facility, I saw a lady walking down the hall talking about her new grandbaby just as loud as can be. I politely said "ma'am you can't use a cell phone in here" and she looked at me STRAIGHT in the eye and said "yea I know and I don't care" her daughters (adults) were MORTIFIED they said MOM GET OFF THE PHONE! she said "pfft what's she going to do shoot me?" I then found out that she was a previous employee of the hospital and KNEW better. I then decided I wasn't saying anything to anyone in hospitals about cell phones. Then we approved that it was ok to use them...
Along the same lines of disrupting sick people how about people that bring SCREAMING CHILDREN TO VISIT THEIR SICK RELATIVES? Last week there was a child that was squealing and screaming so loud in a patients room I heard her thru closed doors and down the hallway. The parents kept the child there for at least an hour or longer.... I would rather hear a little cell phone ring and someone talking on the phone than a child screaming bloody murder that resembles nails on a chalkboard.

But my feeling is that hospital staff aren't paid to follow cell phone users around to make sure they aren't being obnoxious with them (as we can all agree that many cell users are)

out of this ENTIRE thread this is the only thing you have said that I have even REMOTELY agreed with.
Debating is one thing. But the most important thing to remember (MYSELF INCLUDED very much so) is that not everyone THINKS the same way you do and this does not make them right or wrong. More times than not in the times I have seen you 'debate' with others you make it seem like yours is the only RIGHT opinion. Keep in mind that I was NOT on the debate team, nor am I blaming your pregnancy one iota!!! I HATE politics for this reason and I stay out of the doghouse most of the time B/C of the 'debatable' topics..........

[shais_mom]

, and no pay phone to be found.

our local phone company came in one day and RIPPED out both of our PAY PHONES without telling anyone about it b/c they didn't have enough charges on it - probably b/c everyone uses their cell phones!! Made quite lovely LARGE BARREN holes in the walls!!!

And Pembroke_Corgi is right in larger facilities most nurses use a type of cell phone to communicate with each other.

In 2004 my grandma was dying in the hospital. If I wouldn't have had my cell phone I would have gone insane. I was on it on my way TO the hospital, while I was there (I didn't take it into the CCU where she was - ever) to tell my dad what I found out since he was recovering from surgery and unable to be there himself, and using it on the trip home. And yes that $150 phone bill bit me in the arse when it came - but I switched to the IN network and its been a GODsend.
and Jo
do you have bluetooth? Come June/July OH is one of the first states to pass not using your cell phone in the car without the hands free option. But you legal eagle mind probably KNEW that and could tell me a thing or 2 about it!

[shais_mom]

Take one 5am ambulance run.

Take 2 kids, one 2, one 5, and send them to a friends house for the day while dad runs around checking on Mom and getting various things done.

Go to the hospital, sit by wife's bedside for a few hours.

The few phone calls I got from crying children worried about mom disturbed no one, and saved everyone a lot of grief.

It's allowed, use discretion, and deal with it.

hmmmm where I work the crying/screaming children would have been WITH you so I could KISS you for NOT bringing them!!!

The hospital I am going to is very small and personal. They dont allow cell phone use... as I said it is a very tiny hospital. it is a half hour away but they offer better personal care than the large hospitals. (at least the ones around here)

I have a feeling that your very tiny hospital is still bigger than where I work we have less than 25 beds and we allow cell phones b/c we understood that people are going to use them anyway and if it brings comfort to some than so be it...... (and no I am but a peon in the food chain there so I did NOT have anything to do with the decision)

[sparks19]

CatLady--that guy would have driven me to grabbing the cellphone and whacking him over the head with it. That was a display of nothing but disrespect and complete abandonment of manners. Not to mention his lack of taking responsibility for his dog or his business at hand. Perhaps the doctor/staff should have walked over to him and explained that the phone had to go or he could take his business elsewhere.

The doctor did the right thing by hanging up the signs. Someone talking into a phone while they're doing business with me is rude and inexcusable. He is a good example of why the banning of cell phones is an issue in some places. He gives the phone usage a bad name for no good reason. It is a shame that a blatant display of bad judgement might take away something that may save the day for another person.

LOL since he wasn't paying attention... I would have charged him double hahahaha if he had called back (although I imagine it would be difficult for him to find time between his phone calls) and complained I would have told him it was a disturbance fee. LMAO

don't you wish you could say things like that to people at your work?

I have heard this complaint from many ladies that are nurses... they try to do something for a patient and they must sit there and wait on them to get off their cell phone. I said to one friend "don't you wish you could say 'well since this phone call is more important than your health... why don't you just come and interrupt me while I am helping anothe patient whenever it suits YOU and your chat time."

I have to say that at my work... lol my big ol' bead shop (shut up Wombat ) most of our customers are pretty good about their cell phones. They don't answer them during a class.... customers in the store will usually either let the person go or politely say to me "excuse me for one moment" and step outside. they don't just yak it up in the store.... we dont' ask them not to... they just choose not to. Although most of the time it if probably because we are a loud and personable bunch at my store and are always yakking it up with all the customers so they probably just can't hear or if they are the customer we are talking to they will usually grab their phone and shut off the ringer and continue their convo with us. hahahaha.

[sparks19]

And what do you do or say when ...

The Offending Cell-Yapper is none other than your Doctor!?

I swear I've got one Doc that has NEVER completed an Office Visit nor a Hospital Rounds Visit
without accepting at least one cell call!
And the receipt of that call often "requires" the initiation of a call to someone else!

HEY - Quack Person!
Pay attention to ME, please. ... You can jabber to your Cronies later!

Cronies LOL I love that.

As you can probably tell... I am pretty vocal about my likes and dislikes I would probably tell him that I don't have all day and if he would like payment for this visit could he please answer my questions instead of his phone.

[ramanth]

our local phone company came in one day and RIPPED out both of our PAY PHONES without telling anyone about it b/c they didn't have enough charges on it - probably b/c everyone uses their cell phones!! Made quite lovely LARGE BARREN holes in the walls!!!

My parents were camping at a State Park last summer (one we've been too many time before) and walked up to the Ranger Station to use the pay phone and were surprised to find them gone. Lady working said the phone company just up and took them with no notice. So my parents bike down a mile to the local marina. THEIR phone was also gone.

So they biked back to the campground, got in the truck and drove for hours looking for a payphone. Finally found one (can't recall where...an old gas station I think) and called to let me know they got to the campground safely.

Days later when my dad blacked out from vertigo, mom had to drive miles away from the hospital to that same gas station just to let us know what had happened and how he was doing.

They now have a cell phone.

[sparks19]

My parents were camping at a State Park last summer (one we've been too many time before) and walked up to the Ranger Station to use the pay phone and were surprised to find them gone. Lady working said the phone company just up and took them with no notice. So my parents bike down a mile to the local marina. THEIR phone was also gone.

So they biked back to the campground, got in the truck and drove for hours looking for a payphone. Finally found one (can't recall where...an old gas station I think) and called to let me know they got to the campground safely.

Days later when my dad blacked out from vertigo, mom had to drive miles away from the hospital to that same gas station just to let us know what had happened and how he was doing.

They now have a cell phone.

Hey is it true that pay phones in the US will only allow you to talk for a few minutes before you have to add more money? I have heard that before....

Where I am from one quarter in the phone and you can talk forever if you wanted to.

As for cell phones in camp grounds.... I guess it depends on the cell phone and company but more often than not I can't get any signal on my cell phone outside of town until I get into another town. I used to ONLY have a cell phone and no home phone... but I got sick and tired of my phone dropping my calls everytime I wanted to talk to my mom for more than 5 minutes.

Not to mention they cost a fortune to use... especially to call Canada. lol

And the batteries.... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH. You would think with all the "technology" they could get batteries that will charge and don't go dead after 5 minutes if you have had the phone longer than a year.... maybe it's a conspiracy to keep you buying the newest phones