Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.
allnurses

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.
Discussion

Cell phones

Our LTC facility currently doesn't have a policy in place. I just did a search on Allnurses reguarding their usage and affecting pacemakers and equiptment and it was half and half. Currently I have a lady with a realatively new pacer who is using a cell phone in her room. She and the other nurses looked at me crazy when I told her it isn't a good idea to sleep with the phone. Anyone have any info?

Featured Replies

I heard a cardiologist tell a patient once, with the new technology, cell phone and microwave no longer affected pacer signals. He said the frequency was different now as opposed to a few years ago and this was no longer an issue. Most hospitals now allow cell phones to be used inside their facility.

I don't claim to be an expert, just repeating what I heard. Hope this helps.

Live a little, love a little, laugh a lot and the living and loving will come in abundance! By Me. hehehe

we took the signs down prohibiting cell phones when it was learned that they no longer affected equipment, then put them back up when cell phones became a nuisance (people talking loud in the halls, phone ringing, etc.). I would contact the manufacturer if I really wanted to know.

We allow cell phones and i don't recall any problems concernings them (as regards to the pateient's health).

The cell phones actually were a relief to our work, because this way the number of calls from the exterior diminuished drastically. The relatives and friends find how they're feeling on first hand. There are some cases we have to tell the patients to reduce the volume of the sound.

I remember one patient that had her phone alarm clock ringing every 3 a.m., because she didn't knew how to disable that option! It had been doing that for the last 4 months! :)

  • Admin

I agree, patient should contact pacemaker manufacturer for the "official" recommendation and proceed from there.

That said, we'll be doing a new pacer implant tomorrow at work, and I'll try to remember to ask the rep about their company policy. Mind you, this is one of four reps that we work with, for four different vendors, but at least he should be able to give me the industry standard recommendations.

Best ----- D

We still don't allow cell phones in our monitored units. Signs posted everywhere. It's our policy, but the doctors tell the patients to go ahead and use them anyway, making the nursing staff look like idiots for enforcing policy.

  • Admin

Here are the Guidant rep's comments re: cell phones and permanent pacemakers (and ICDs):

Basically, keep the phone away from direct contact with the skin just over the implanted unit. This means don't carry the phone in the left chest shirt pocket if the pacemaker is implanted on the left side.

Use a hands-free set = best option.

If you can't use/don't have a hands-free set, use the phone on the opposite side from where the pacemaker is.

Cordless phones in the home are not a problem.

Microwaves are not a problem for most of the new pacemakers, however they might post an interference problem for an old, unipolar unit. Most units today are bi-polar.

If the phone happens to be too near the pacemaker, it may cause electrical interference which may halt the pacemaker from functioning. When the phone is moved away, however, the pacemaker will resume its normal functioning, i.e., it is not permanently damaged by the (hopefully) brief contact.

Hope this helps. Again, any clarifications should be done by the pacemaker vendor of the unit in question. -- D

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
Go to topic listing

Currently Reading 0

  • No registered users viewing this page.

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications
Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.