Cell phones

[Dwayne Ingles Glasscock]

I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.

I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

[Ellen K Hursh]

On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.

I did find an article about hospitals banning cell phones and laptops
because of inappropriate use of the cameras.

"I was concerned about the potential covert use of such cameras,
without the consent of those being photographed, or under
circumstances where someone's agreement to be photographed might not
be well-reasoned or fully competent." --Dr. Thomas Strouse, medical
director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital (UCLA)

[Cory]

In article <a4ccf58e-8211-44fb-8acf-

Post by Ellen K Hursh
On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.
I did find an article about hospitals banning cell phones and laptops
because of inappropriate use of the cameras.
"I was concerned about the potential covert use of such cameras,
without the consent of those being photographed, or under
circumstances where someone's agreement to be photographed might not
be well-reasoned or fully competent." --Dr. Thomas Strouse, medical
director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital (UCLA)

And I, for one, can understand the concerns about cell phone and laptop
cameras being used, especially in a psychiatric hospital. The stigma
that surrounds mental illness IS still VERY much alive and kicking,
after all. You don't want to be photographed in a psychiatric
hospital/unit and have it show up on the Internet, for fear of losing
your job, et al., which is probably what would happen if "the masses"
found out you were in a psychiatric hospital/unit.

--- Cory

[David E. Milligan]

Post by Cory
In article <a4ccf58e-8211-44fb-8acf-

On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.
I did find an article about hospitals banning cell phones and laptops
because of inappropriate use of the cameras.
"I was concerned about the potential covert use of such cameras,
without the consent of those being photographed, or under
circumstances where someone's agreement to be photographed might not
be well-reasoned or fully competent." --Dr. Thomas Strouse, medical
director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital (UCLA)

And I, for one, can understand the concerns about cell phone and laptop
cameras being used, especially in a psychiatric hospital. The stigma
that surrounds mental illness IS still VERY much alive and kicking,
after all. You don't want to be photographed in a psychiatric
hospital/unit and have it show up on the Internet, for fear of losing
your job, et al., which is probably what would happen if "the masses"
found out you were in a psychiatric hospital/unit.
--- Cory

Also, there are no mirrors in or around the ER. Don't want bloody trauma victims seeing
how bad they look and go into a worse shock than they would anyway.

[Tru Davies]

On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:11:29 -0700 (PDT), Ellen K Hursh

Post by Ellen K Hursh
On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.

I would point out if you use a cell phone it can adversely effect
some of the electronic equipment used in a hospital.

[sharon]

Post by Tru Davies
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:11:29 -0700 (PDT), Ellen K Hursh

On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.

I would point out if you use a cell phone it can adversely effect
some of the electronic equipment used in a hospital.

Not anymore, newer equipment has filters to prevent that. I believe newer
cellphones are also designed not to interfere.

Sharon

[Tru Davies]

Post by sharon

Post by Tru Davies
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:11:29 -0700 (PDT), Ellen K Hursh

On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.

I would point out if you use a cell phone it can adversely effect
some of the electronic equipment used in a hospital.

Not anymore, newer equipment has filters to prevent that. I believe newer
cellphones are also designed not to interfere.
Sharon

I don't know about hospitals in your area, around here much of the
equipment in use is still very old.

[sharon]

Post by Tru Davies

Post by sharon

Post by Tru Davies
On Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:11:29 -0700 (PDT), Ellen K Hursh

On Mar 27, 12:29 pm, Dwayne Ingles Glasscock

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

The hospital I use has signage requesting that cell phones be turned
off, but that's more due to the intrusiveness of a call coming through
during an office visit. Don't know about places like the ER... I
didn't get my phone until after my last visit.

I would point out if you use a cell phone it can adversely effect
some of the electronic equipment used in a hospital.

Not anymore, newer equipment has filters to prevent that. I believe newer
cellphones are also designed not to interfere.
Sharon

I don't know about hospitals in your area, around here much of the
equipment in use is still very old.

If you're in the US, it can't be that old. It's been shown that newer
equipment, less than a decade or so, is not adversely affected by nearby
cell phones, even if there is no special filter in either. It's impossible
to completely filter the radio frequencies used by cell phones because
cardiac monitors, etc. rely on the same frequencies and they would then
become ineffective at providing medical data, too. Many of the initial
reports were based on testing done in labs, not on actual monitors hooked up
to actual patients. It's also been shown that unless the cell phone is less
than 6 feet from the monitor, it cannot interfere anyway, which is why even
the most conservative facilities now allow cell phones in designated areas
if not in all areas.

Where I work, we use fetal monitors as well as electronic pulse ox's and BP
monitors and haven't had a single problem, even with patients using the
phone while hooked up to them in more than 18 years.

Sharon

Here's a study from the Mayo Clinic:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/6979/


Sharon

[Tru Davies]

Post by sharon
If you're in the US, it can't be that old.

Sure it can. This is a hospital that was owned by the city,
many attemtps have been made to shut it down. The city sold
it off to a local university who is now again talking shut
down. Alot of the equipment they use is still very old.

It's a choice, older equipment or shut the doors.

[LadyOO7]

It depends on the hospital. I've been in some where you had to turn
off your phone the second you walked in the door, others where it was
okay to use anywhere, and the most common type, ones where there were
designated areas for cell phone use.

[sharon]

Post by Dwayne Ingles Glasscock
I was watching last nights episode........Archie is
using a cell phone in the ER.
I thought they discouraged use of cell phones in hospitals?

Not anymore, newer medical equipment now have filters to prevent
interference from cell phones. Unless a hospital has a lot of older
equipment, at the very least, there are designated cell phone areas.

I work on labor and delivery where there are fetal monitors, pulse ox's and
the like all over the place. We let patients and their families use cell
phones anywhere they'd like as all of our equipment is safe. These days,
medical equipment becomes obsolete so quickly, that most hospitals are
replacing it every few years, so the days when cell phones were verboten are
pretty well gone. Nowadays, the only reason we ask people to cease and
desist is when they are standing in a hallway or public area speaking loudly
to someone and disrupting other patients, visitors and employees.

Sharon