Why do hospitals have 'no mobile phone' signs

[userIamNOTaNUMBER]

Why do hospitals still insist on signs saying 'no mobile phones', yet have signs on other walls detailing free wifi, and are quite happy to have patients, visitors and staff using mobile phones?
AIBU - take the 'no mobile phones' signs down!

When I was in hospital about ten years ago I was roundly castigated for using my phone because it apparently 'interfered with vital life saving equipment'. I was on an adult orthopaedic ward, for reference. When I asked if the doctors - who all had, and used, their phones - had special phones which didn't cause this mysterious interference, I was met with great confusion. (And then told I could use the phone on a trolley, which cost about the same per minute as dialling a premium rate number)

I'm unsure whether it was an attempt to curb contact with the outside world or surreptitious encouragement to use a profit-making service.

I've noticed this recently. Think it must be a hangover, surely? Most doctors offices do also have this sign- to stop anxious patients Googling, perhaps?

Maybe because the noise of people on phones is disturbing to those who are recovering from surgery or are feeling unwell. Loud and intrusive ringtones and people unable to speak quietly.

I think there's genuinely a very few kinds of medical equipment affected by phones (I skimmed this review) but I think they're mainly specialist and not on all wards.

It's stupid to have a blanket rule that people get used to ignoring. In areas where it actually matters, say so, and otherwise have signs reminding people to use their phones considerately (eg not at full volume at 3am).

There are some sensitive pieces of equipment but there is a growing issue of camera phones taking pictures when and where they shouldn't. I think its half the fact that a blanket ban was easier but also half pressure from Hospedia (Patientline) and their competitors. =\

I use a Doppler (picks up the sounds of a pulse basically) and it does pick up mobile phone interference (luckily I know its a mobile the sound is distinct)
Its not all phones , and its worse just before the phone rings.

And there's the people who bring a relative (possibly elderly/forgetful/hard of hearing) who sit on their phone ignoring them and sound like I'm intruding if I ask a question (that the patient can't answer)

Can you not leave the fecking screen for 20 minutes and maybe involve yourself a bit in your Mum/Dad/Gran/child's care I think . (I swear in my head though not IRL )

I think they started off being overcautious as if you have a mobile on within a 1 metre range of some equiptment it could affect it.

I was told ventilators, monitors, dialysis machines.

So these would be mainly critical care/cardiac wards/ intensive care.

Most people using their phone would be outside this but I suppose it is hard to have a conversation with each and every visitor and patient and err on the "no phones" unless on a ward where it is ok.

Also people answering a mobile when attending a hospital clinic is very annoying, there is a time pressure. Also they are not keen on you taking pictures, which I agree with as people were trying on a ward I was on recently and I would be in the background of the shot. I didnt want to cause a fuss but nurse came over and stopped them.

It really isnt fair IMO to unwell/elderly people to be snapping pictures for social media.

It's for the same reason you don't have your phone on in the library, cinema, quiet section of a train - It's intrusive

Obviously, perhaps they need to put notices up saying 'no taking pictures', 'keep phone conversations quiet' and keep 'no mobile phones' for areas where it matters. They can't stop people using their phones in this day and age!

I work in a hospital and pretty much every member of staff has a phone in their pocket and most doctors are contacted via their phone not bleeps anymore.

I have two (work and personal) in my pocket and I take calls from other staff / patients on my work one when I'm on wards etc. As staff we've never been told we can't use phones

From a patient perspective I can only think of:

• intrusive: ringing / bleeping / talking loudly
• confidentiality risk from photos etc
• you can't charge them without the harder being tested!

It's partly in case they affect machines , also because people use Skype/camera phones so patient confidentiality is affected. Have had cases where patients have intentionally filmed other people on wards or staff which is obviously inappropriate. It's difficult to police so easier just to say no phones at all perhaps .

Also because of continual noise and talking late into the night..

I usually tell people they are fine to use them on silent, fine to talk quietly on phone after lights out but Skype/camera absolutely not unless in a private room.

I spent 2 months in a cardiac care unit a few years ago. I had my own room and couldn't see my young kids for a few weeks, so I was very thankful for FaceTime on my iPhone to keep in touch. DH wandered round the room to let them see what it looked like and all the tubes and monitors attached to me so they were prepared when they eventually visited.

My cardiologist even spoke to them on FaceTime to help explain what was happening to mummy.

There are very few bits of equipment that are affected by mobiles now, Dopplers being one of them)

It's more from a (a patient privacy/dignity, yes you might be happy to be in a pic, but is the patient in the background happy?

(b Noise, hospital wards are noisy enough without phones ringing beeping etc.

For every considerate patient who has their phone on silent, there's a twat who will refuse.

(c chargers, anything plugged in needs to be PAT tested. True story I once received a complaint via PALS that I had unplugged a visitors charger according to them without cause....Other than as above it wasn't PAT tested, I needed the socket to plug in their relatives cardiac monitor....

The other side of the coin is people need mobile phones, as they need to keep in contact with their relatives. Hospitals are scary places for some people, and they need to consult with their relatives. And people need to be able to charge their mobile phones too - even trains have facilities for charging phones and don't expect chargers to be PAT tested! I think hospital staff just continually look for excuses to boss patients around.

Patients can use the phone in the corridors without issue. The worse that happens on a train if the charger trips the circuit - the train stops and you get on a new one. If the hospital electrics trip then it's backup generator but only key areas are covered by this, the rest is left to struggle until the electrics are back up and running. This is why things are PAT tested - you can't have a hospitals power keep tripping. Oh and then there is the fire safety thing - bit more difficult to evacuate a hospital than a train...

One charger isn't going to trip out a whole hospital. Any vital pieces of equipment have an UPS

I think it's more a matter of courtesy. If a clinician is dealing with a patient and their phone is ringing, people talking on their phone etc is quite rude. Also have noticed some people actually taking pictures on camera phones while you are doing your job.