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Original poster

Is it really very naughty to text from a hospital bed?

41 replies

Racers · 19/01/2006 09:11

Asking as sis is going in for an op and wondered if I could text her in addition to using the phone system (which is expensive!)
Confession time - when I was in hospital with DD I couldn't see any 'no mobile phone' signs so I sent a couple of texts in the middle of the night when I was feeling pretty crap. Too late to do anything about that, but I won't do it again (or rather encourage her to) if it's said to be bad.

OP posts:
Janh · 19/01/2006 09:14

Last time I was in I would hide my phone in my sponge bag and switch it on next to an open window in the bathroom (almost outside!) It needs to be on completely silent setting of course or else receiving several texts at once when switched on would give the game away

nutcracker · 19/01/2006 09:16

My mom works on a hospital ward (maternity), and all the staff there have their mobiles on and regularly send and recieve texts.

harpsichordcarrier · 19/01/2006 09:17

no. apparently not I was told by a consultant at a party not so long ago
but I am prepared to be corrected...

Hazellnut · 19/01/2006 09:24

when I was in having dd (8 very LONG days and nights) I noticed the doctors all had mobile phones on so I assumed it did not play havoc with life saving equipment so kept mine on (after the first few days when I was being good) despite signs up. All the rooms were private so you weren't disturbing anyone. In fact, plenty of MW's saw my phone in action and no one commented. If I was being cynical I would say that they want to discourage mobile use so you use the £10 a minute phone system they have installed..... but that's only if I was being cynical.

NotQuiteCockney · 19/01/2006 09:26

I had a private room when I had DS2, and used my mobile, mostly just texting, as I figured that was less likely to break anything. It probably isn't too bad on a ward, rather than in an operating theatre.

Original poster
Racers · 19/01/2006 09:30

I had been told by consultant friend that it was ok. I was in own room (em c-sec - though I know someone who also had this but was on ward!), and only texting so not disturbing anyone. I agree it is probably mainly to get you to use the phone system. Sis will have own room so I think I'll phone on her mobie then. Thanks!

OP posts:
Bozza · 19/01/2006 09:32

I wouldn't personally. However when DD was in overnight because of falling down the stairs I had to ring DH to come and get us. I asked where I could ring from and the nurse actually asked me if I had a mobile. She then directed to me to a corridor/stair well at the far end of the ward where they kept the put-me-up beds for parents and said I could ring from there. So not cut and dried.

MrsBadger · 19/01/2006 09:33

If you're in a zone where mobiles will actually interfere with equipment, you won't be able to miss it - every wall will be plastered with warnings and they'll most likely pat you down at the door.

Everywhere else, you can get away with it, but subtle is the way to go in case you meet a jobsworth!

Original poster
Racers · 19/01/2006 09:37

Yes, subtle it is! And check for signs. She's due to stay for a week so she'll be going up the wall. I can text her photos of DD to cheer her up, this way

OP posts:
Flamesparrow · 19/01/2006 09:37

I did when I was in to have DD... I was on adrenaline rush after having her, they'd made DH go home because it was late (sod the fact that there was no-one else on the ward, and his newborn child was there ), so I texted to my little heart's content (again, after spotting a lack of "no mobiles" signs).

My question is - you can get those things that block mobiles from working (I remember some thing when I was at college that had everyone up in arms because they wanted to install them in schools)... why do hospitals not use those? Do they scramble the machines?? Were they something I dreamt that don't really exist ?

SleepyJess · 19/01/2006 09:37

I always used to keep mine off but now I just put ot on silent and sometimes discreetly use it for texting. So often I am stuck at at an outpatients appointment (sometimes on the actual ward)with DS2 amd have to make quick alternative arrangements for picking the other kids up from school or something because of the time..

The thing that made me think 'sod it!' is that I constantly see medical staff casually using their mobiles.. doctors/surgeons strolling up and down corridors yapping away on theirs. Do they have different mobiles to us or something?!

Piffle · 19/01/2006 09:39

I did, I mean who can be in hospital for 11 days bed ridden and afford patientline ffs
I'm sure if you asked they would say no
this was in a ward, certainly would not use in other parts though.

Enid · 19/01/2006 09:40

I would

that phone thing they have is a rip off

oliveoil · 19/01/2006 09:42

I did when I had dd2 and the midwife said it was fine.

She had jaundice and we had to wait ages for the ok to come home and dh still has the message "your girlies are coming home" saved on his phone (the soft git).

xx

Janh · 19/01/2006 09:43

Review of bedside phone charges - I heard this on the news last night. (Doesn't help just now though )

"Derek Lewis, chairman of Patientline"? Was he the prisons bloke who resigned over that Michael Howard row?

harpsichordcarrier · 19/01/2006 09:46

yes and I love the signs saying "don't use your mobile, you will disturb other patients..."
yeah right
using your mobile = disturbing
using patientline = not, apparently
I must say I did like having the internet at my bed side though...
and the free radio is nice, though the choice of stations is rank

morningpaper · 19/01/2006 09:49

I asked a nurse about this and she said it's only because everyone would be really annoyed with phones going off all the time. You are right, the staff always carry them. So don't worry, people won't drop dead every time you send a text!

Moomin · 19/01/2006 09:51

i was in hospital for 3 weeks recently and the midwives told me it was ok unless you were within a certain distance of heart monitors which they didn't have on post & ante natal so i was allowed to text - couldn't get a signal though so used to have to hang out of window to send and receive texts!

lanismum · 19/01/2006 10:40

i worked in a hospital, and always always had my mobile on, as did all the drs, even in theatre, i never came across any equipment that the interfered with. i used my mobile while i was in a labour ward too, nobody said a word.

Aloha · 19/01/2006 10:43

I used my mobile constantly in hospital.

Original poster
Racers · 19/01/2006 10:44

This is great - I expected a mixed response!
Thanks

OP posts:
mummytosteven · 19/01/2006 10:45

iirc flossam (a nurse) posted recently that there it was only the ITU machines that could potentially interract with mobile phones.

fairyjay · 19/01/2006 10:48

Heard on 5 Live yesterday that a survey conducted by the NHS showed that porters' radios caused more interference than mobile phones - and they still use them!

They use the 'interference with equipment' because people are less likely to argue, as they might with 'disturb other patients', which is the truth!

Having said that, if you're feeling grotty, you wouldn't be happy with long, continual calls from the next bed.

Considerate use would be fine, I think.

lockets · 19/01/2006 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Kelly1978 · 19/01/2006 10:52

I thinkt here is only certain places where phones are risky. I was told I couldn't even bring mine near the theatre when I had my section, but on the ward afterwards I was on it loads, and nobody told me I couldn't use it. As for disturbing other patients - I could have doen that with the bedside phone!

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