Cell Phone Myths Explained 7

This one is really funny because today MOST hospital emergency rooms ban cell phone usage! It's totally amazing how quickly and across the board this urban legend was accepted by hospital authorities!

As someone who has worked in the mediccal field for many years, I can tell you hospital authorities were quick to accept this because it gave them an excuse to ban the cell phone. Nothing is more irritating than trying to treat a patient while they are busy chatting on their cell phone.Most people cant even keep their voice down to a minimum. No one wants to hear your conversation.....People with no manners are the reason you see the cell phone banned in many places such as hospitals and banks..
Believe me just asking people not to use them doesnt work, even when you tell them it could interfere with the equipment, many people still think their phone call is more important and dont hang up..

I already knew that as well, because when I was 15 (20 now) I was using my cell phone in the room my dad was in. I don't think they really told me anything and nothing happened so I already knew that from way before.

Most hospitals ban the use of cells phones especially in ICU/CCU & ER because people tend to get loud, increase stress to the patients, and its a pain in the butt to be triaging a patient who refuses to get off the cell phone and answer my questions so I can care for them or their family member. We dont ban them where I work, we just ask that if they disturb the patient to take the call outside(waiting room). If Im triaging someone and they feel they need to argue on phone at the same time. I'll politely ask them if they want to go back to the waiting room to finish their call or do they want me to triage them now. They usually get off the phone.

Well this has only recently become true. It might be helpful for the author to link to the original article:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2007-rst/3958.html

It's interesting that in Mayo Clinic's 2005 study they found some problems. I think it's interesting that the author doesn't mention this and previous studies. In a hospital, even SMALL interferences are avoided: better safe than sorry. The rules are just outdated...same as the plane bans.

There actually has been cases of cell phones causing interference with hospital equipment. The specific case in one in which patients recovering from surgery are 'hooked' up to wireless sensors so they are able to walk around the hospital floor for exercise. These wireless sensors transmit vital stats to a heart monitor or other such devices. Cell phones can produce a harmonic frequency that interferes with the one used by these wireless sensors.

What it boils down to is this: patients that are fine and walking around will have a machine somewhere on that floor saying that they are flatlining. To reduce the stress on the patients and hospital staff, cell phones are banned. I'm not sure how much research this author did on this article, but it doesn't seem like enough.

I am a System Administrator for a Regional Hospital. One of the top 10 technologically advanced in the U.S. (wireless EKG, wireless IV pumps, wireless infant abduction system, to name only a few). We even have a cellular repeater on our roof.

They provide the IT staff will cellphones! We have never had any problems related to interference.

If this is true... then the debate about wether or not the radiation causes tumors should be true as well dont you think?

but can cellphones really pop popcorn?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94shlqPlSI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju5yIFu4yY8&NR=1

I don't know about hospital equipment, but my nokia sure does screw up my comcast cable. If I am am watching channels 263 or 264 (encore hd or fox business hd) and I make a phone call, both of these channels get all pixely.The minute I hang up they return to normal. I have tried this twenty times on two different televisions with separate cable boxes, it happens every time. All of the other channels are fine. Anyone ever heard of this? Comcast acts like I'm making it up.