Is it okay to use a mobile phone in a hospital?

Question

I mean there are signs all over the place saying you shouldn't.

Answer 1

There is no clear answer to that. In a hospital there are some extremely sensitive pieces of equipment that emit and are affected by EM fields, sometimes to the extent that the placement of certain things have to be carefully planned out so as not to interfere with each other. Yet I am due to be in hospital soon and was advised by a nurse to have a mobile phone for use in the ward. The safest thing to do is to not use one unless you have been specifically told that its OK.

Answer 2

If the sign says you shouldn't why is there still a question in your mind?

Are you slow?

Radio frequencies can interfere with electronic equipment used in hospitals. How would you like to be responsible for someones death because you disregarded the signs?

Answer 3

Mobile phones are widely used, but their use is still restricted in certain places including petrol stations, some areas in hospitals, and aircraft. Restrictions have been justified on the grounds of public safety, but the reasons behind these restrictions are often unclear. In hospitals, patients, visitors, and staff routinely breeze through wards with their mobile phones switched on. As yet we have no evidence that this behaviour has serious consequences for patients. The lack of such evidence has encouraged the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to advise more selective restrictions on the use of mobile phones in hospitals . While welcoming this relaxation, we wonder why it has taken so long to happen and why it has the feeling of extracting a generous concession. The liberalisation sits alongside proposed new restrictions, such as a ban on the use of camera phones in patient areas. The regulations also fail to criticise the previous ones, which were overcautionary. Paradoxically, the new rules may be even more restrictive than the old ones.

Answer 4

I always thought it depended on where you are in the hospital .

Answer 5

So the signs would appear to be self explanatory, they have not been put there for the fun of it, common sense should tell you mobiles interfere with sensitive equipment in hospitals just the same as if you were in a plane

Answer 6

There is no evidence to suggest mobile phones interfere with equipment. Mobiles are more of a minor nuisance is all.

All the wards I have worked on  will allow you to use one as long as you ask the staff first.  

Answer 7

Yes it is, though not in theatres or areas where there is obviously radiation emitting equipment - i.e. Radiography, X rays etc etc

Answer 8

In the general setting, mobile phones don't disrupt equipment, however I would not ever recommend using in an intensive care unit,  due to the nature of that environment.

If you are able to walk to a patient dayroom area then there should be no problem using a mobile there or there may be a designated area where you can use a phone.

One thing to bear in mind about using mobiles in ward bays is the level of disruption that may be caused to other patients.  Some may already be feeling pretty lousy and having cheery ringtones etc going off when trying to rest can actually be quite stressful.

If it is the only way someone can communicate with people who live too far away to visit and the patient is immobile then there is often some leeway to be negotiated.  As a senior nurse myself, I recognise the importance and comfort to both parties that such calls can have and am always happy to negotiate some kind of contact, even if it's limited.

Answer 9

The signs are not there for decoration. They really mean Switch Off your Mobile.

A mobile phone that is switched on is acting as a radio transmitter even when you are not making a call. It is continually responding to 'paging' signals from the nearest Base Station. That's how it knows that you are connected to the network.

The radio signals that they transmit are capable of interfering with various medical equipment and also with the hospital internal paging system.

You will see selfish idiots around who don't think that these signs apply to "them". These are often people who disregard speed limits and parking restrictions. Please don't be one of them. Worse, I have even seen doctors and nurses using mobiles ( a case of familiarity breeding contempt perhaps?). That's a shocking example to set.

If a patient gets into trouble because some dingbat's mobile has interfered with his monitor it will be the dingbat's fault. Don't be a dingbat.

Answer 10

Well if it says you shouldn't, then you shouldn't. Rules are rules dontcha know!

Answer 11

mobile phones don't interfere with medical machines, doctors don't like the ringtones.

Answer 12

Why do you think they put the signs up?  True, your particular phone may not in fact interfere with equipment but you can't tell.  Plus, it's bloody irritating for everyone else.

Answer 13

it depends on where you use it

for example if patients are connected to equipment then no it is not ok but it will be ok for one phone to be on but to many and it creates a signal circuit that interferers with the medical equiment

Answer 14

No it interfers with the machines and equipment. If you got a mp3 player on it you can swicth to to fight mode and listen to it in a hospital  

Answer 15

...why seek confirmation, the signs are there for a reason

Answer 16

What a stupid question.

Answer 17

I guess it can mess up sensitive equipment.

Answer 18

I was in hospital last year and there are now certain places in the hospital where you can use it.

Answer 19

No it interferes with equipment and it's not correct ettiquette.  

Answer 20

If there's a sign saying not to use cell phones, it's not OK in that area.  However, there are usually certain areas where cell phones are allowed - places far removed from machinery that is affected by interference.

Answer 21

These days, it depends on the hospital.The hospital where my Mom was a recent patient is a good example. In the past, you could not use a cell phone inside because it effected some of their internal equipment. They recently converted their equipment to a different frequency and now it is not a problem. We could use cell phones anywhere inside.

Answer 22

Ask the hospital - both my daughter and I had operations last year and we were both permitted to bring them into the hospital.

Answer 23

In many areas it is safe. In some areas they interfere with equipment. In all areas they distract the staff. On all wards and waiting areas they're intrusive for patients.

If you intend to use one check with a member of staff first.

Answer 24

i just spent a month in Trauma & Orthopaedic ward and could use my phone fine.

We weren't supposed to mind you but there was no serious medical equipment around that the signal might have interfered with.

Answer 25

how else can you stay in touch with your loved ones when in the hospital.