Is it ok to use mobile phones inside the CUH?

Worztron

Hi.

Is it ok to use mobile phones inside the CUH? I notice signs by the lifts that says something like 'turn off mobile phones beyond this point'. But I see plenty of people including patients using their mobile phones in the wards. Are those signs old and outdated? How could mobile phones cause harm?

andy1249

Mobiles can and do interfere with certain equipment, MRI machines, icu equipment, ECG,s and so on, at best you could cause an expensive test to give a false or nonsensical result, costing more time in the hospital and expense for the patient, at worst , you could cause mis- diagnoses or worse and put someone's life in danger.

If the hospital says no phones then there are no phones, end of! If a call needs to be made or received, then leave the hospital.

Worztron

andy1249 wrote: »

Mobiles can and do interfere with certain equipment, MRI machines, icu equipment, ECG,s and so on, at best you could cause an expensive test to give a false or nonsensical result, costing more time in the hospital and expense for the patient, at worst , you could cause mis- diagnoses or worse and put someone's life in danger.

If the hospital says no phones then there are no phones, end of! If a call needs to be made or received, then leave the hospital.

Fair enough. I have no problem leaving the hospital to make or receive calls. I'm just puzzled as to how people in the wards are allowed to use their phones and nothing is said to them.

Lekrub

I base it on nothing, but it must be fine if your in a general area

evilivor

andy1249 wrote: »

Mobiles can and do interfere with certain equipment, MRI machines, icu equipment, ECG,s and so on, at best you could cause an expensive test to give a false or nonsensical result, costing more time in the hospital and expense for the patient, at worst , you could cause mis- diagnoses or worse and put someone's life in danger.

If the hospital says no phones then there are no phones, end of! If a call needs to be made or received, then leave the hospital.

Also, phones mean noise of ringtones and chat in an area where people are trying to sleep and recuperate.

TheChizler

Seeing as there's cell masts on the roof they're not too concerned about it in general. Most likely a combination of wanting peace and quiet, and avoiding interference in the immediate viscinity of diognostic machines.

freshpopcorn

Over the past few years we've being in various hospitals in Cork/Dublin. Our relatives have always had there phones with them. I remember somebody asking a nurse could somebody have there phone with them and they said of course. They were strict with this rule in the early 2000's but they don't seem to mind now.

j8wk2feszrnpao

andy1249 wrote: »

If the hospital says no phones then there are no phones, end of! If a call needs to be made or received, then leave the hospital.

Well, the grounds of the CUH has no smoking signs, yet people smoke on the grounds.
Spent a number of days in CUMH recently, and despite the signs, plenty of people were smoking either just outside the entrance or by the benches at the roundabout (both visitors and pre/post birth mothers).

Signage is great, but a bit of enforcement wouldn't go a stray.

Pitcairn

The doctors and administrators all use mobile phones to communicate with each other. In certain sensitive areas the rules are enforced but elsewhere everyone uses them.

54kroc

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Well, the grounds of the CUH has no smoking signs, yet people smoke on the grounds.
Spent a number of days in CUMH recently, and despite the signs, plenty of people were smoking either just outside the entrance or by the benches at the roundabout (both visitors and pre/post birth mothers).

Signage is great, but a bit of enforcement wouldn't go a stray.

Their policy on smoking is wishful thinking and imo not enforceable.

ncmc

I was in CUMH for 5 days recently and everyone used their phones. I don't recall any signs. My husband has spent several weeks in CUH and again everyone used phones including the doctors. I would imagine it may be enforced in certain areas, but on the wards, it seems to be fine. Like everything else, visitors, radios etc, a bit of cop on and manners goes a long way ie no late night bellowing phone calls or ringers turned on full whack!