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Don't Borrow A Doctor's Phone
from the just-saying dept
This isn't the first time we've mentioned how dangerous infectious agents could travel via mobile phones. However, a new study looks at just how common it is for mobile phones in hospitals to carry infectious pathogens. And, it turns out that you probably should avoid using the mobile phone of anyone who works in a hospital. Consider this the counter-balance to stories about how helfpul mobile phones are in hospitals. Of course, there's already a solution to the problem: sterilizing phone chargers.
Reader Comments
(Flattened / Threaded)
No Subject Given
I'm sure the Doctors can afford two seperate phones. 1 for work and 1 for personal.
However, my sister is a doctor and I have to say most of them are absolute clean freaks. Lab techs, not so much, but they don't need cell phones because their necessary communications should involve internal phones.
The cause for worry on my behalf is private medical information being broadcast over wireless networks.
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Re: No Subject Given
I guess you've never heard of an airborn virus or bacteria that would land on a cell phone.
Even with a separate personal phone that was stored in a locker, it would still get infected by the air circulation system within the hospital. This is a significant cause of people getting sicker when staying in a hospital.
It doesn't matter how much of a clean freak you are, unless you disinfect the whole phone (under the battery, under the solder loops, etc) every time you leave the hospital, it will be compromised.
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How about ties???
Well cell phone are probably less in use in hospitals as compared to Ties??
All the doctors weat it and most of the time it falls out of the while appron that they wear. This ties take a lot of bacteria and germs in them and spread to families of doctors. This has been studies by a new york research student also.
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Re: How about ties???
Newsflash: anything doctors and nurses wear carries germs around. Vote+1 on naked nurses to stop the spreading of germs!
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So wouldnt they get sick too?
If that was the case, wouldn't you hear of Dr's and others getting sick as well?
There are germs and viruses all over, if they are "falling from the sky" on to the telephone, meaning they are airborne, and you are in the area, you are breathing them in anyway.
So what's the point? Granted if you're immune system is compromized then there might be an issue, but the body is pretty good at rejecting and combating those things on it's own.
So, to me, it's just another foray into the state of fear we all seem to live in today in this country (and others from what I hear, though some other countries seem to have real things to fear, not just bullsh&t that our country and media spout).
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Re: So wouldnt they get sick too?
Medical staff constantly get sick from all the stuff in hospitals. Most of them come to work that way because of poor health care benefits too. Go figure.
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Go Hands Free
.. using a bluetooth headset.
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No Subject Given
Are these people saying that Dr's cell phones have more gersm because they use them for work. And are they also saying that they use cell phones for work in the hospital?
1) What about all the signs that say cell phones are not permitted inside hospitals, dr's offices etc? They too good to follow their own signs.
2) Here is a solution: SpectraLink. We use them here in our manufactuiring plant and they work really well. They even have a model designed specificaly for the healthcare industry. It will work with most PBX phone systems. You may have seen them in use at Lowes. spectralink.com
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cell phones in a hospital
As I thought it was common knowledge, cell phones must be turned off in hospitals because of pacemakers and whatnot (not to mention its just plain rude). So if the phones must be turned off in the first place then why are doctors and med staff even carrying them around? Leave them in the car. This is common sense, and yet another example of how cell phone ettiquite is becoming non-existent as we are all so self absorbed.
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Re: cell phones in a hospital
A lot of hospitals are starting to recognize the value of cell phones and the miniscule chance of interference.
Now, Mobile Phones Are Good For Hospitals
My local hospital now allows cellphones.
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Re: cell phones in a hospital
As I thought it was common knowledge, cell phones must be turned off in hospitals because of pacemakers and whatnot (not to mention its just plain rude).
Actually, there was already talk about hospitals are allowing it cause it's been shown that cell phones do not interfer with hospital equipment.
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Doctors
Aaah! And they're offended when I insist they
wash their hands first after touching (other)
sick people. Has all common sense left the medical
profession? Wash your hands, wash your hands,
wash your hands was the mantra to reduce your
chances of becoming sick and spreading disease.
Their excuse is it takes too much time to wash
so often and limits a doctor's throughput.
Hmm. They could save a lot of money on tongue
depressors if they didn't keep throwing perfectly
good ones away after every use... and needles,
they could save on needles too. BAH!
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No Subject Given
Once I got laid off 4 years ago, I had no need for hospitals, you just don't get sick like you do working. I guess its one benefit of offshoring jobs and not having insurance. You tend to eat healthier.
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omg, a hand can contain over 1000 germs
Is it just me, or does this sound like another overly blown study trying to spread fear in the spread of germs?
While I can understand some caution, but if people keep things SOOOOO clean, the human body will never be able to naturally build the resitances against these diseases and viruses that are spreading around. And this is speaking from experience as somebody that doesn't concern about overly steralizing everything and has yet to be sick in 10 years.
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Re: omg, a hand can contain over 1000 germs
Two days later this guy falls over dead from the common cold, because it mutated and evolved on his unsteralized remote control. Nice knowing you buddy.
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Nosocomial Infections
Hospital borne infections are a common and serious risk. So common they have a name: nosocomial infections, and it's one of the best reasons there is to stay away from hospitals unless you absolutely need to be there.
Patients are at the greatest risk, because they have their immune systems wiped out with industrial-strength antibiotics before and after surgery, surgical trauma, surgical wounds and a boatload of exotic pathogens in the air.
My grandmother used to say that hospitals are where old people go to die. In her case, she was right.
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eeeek
What Else carries germs better than cellphones, eh? (shoes, stethoscopes, tears)
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