Mobile Phone Use by Inpatients on an Adolescent Unit

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Mobile Phone Use by In-patients on an
Adolescent Unit

• Dr Jacquelyn Bell, Specialist Registrar
• Dr Fiona Finlay, Consultant Paediatrician
• Dr Anna Baverstock, Consultant Paediatrician

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Introduction

• Mobile telephones are an integral part of life
• Adolescent communication
• Independence v security

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The Ideal Adolescent Unit?

• Friendly atmosphere
• Better décor
• Dedicated adolescent space
• Age appropriate recreational facilities
• Better food
• Better bathrooms
• Privacy on the ward, including with phone calls

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Aims and Method

• To ascertain the use of mobile phones by young
  people on the adolescent unit
• To obtain the views of both adolescents and
  nursing staff on the use of mobile phones while
  in hospital
• A pre-piloted questionnaire was given to 50
  adolescents
• A separate questionnaire was given to 9 members
  of the nursing team over the same time period

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Results

• Age range was 12 to 17 years - the majority were
  14 years old
• 80 (40/50) had access to a mobile phone in
  hospital
• 30 (15/50) were told they could use a mobile
  phone on the ward
• 75 (30/40) of those who had a phone with them
  had made calls or sent texts
• 80 (32/40) had received calls or texts

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Comments from the Young People

• You should be told on arrival that you can use
  your phone communication with my brother and
  friends at school was extremely helpful
• It helped to make my stay easier knowing I could
  use my phone to keep in contact with people

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• You should be allowed to use phones - it does
  not set off the fire alarms
• It is good to be able to use your mobile phone
  when waiting or not doing anything else
• Others commented that mobile phones were also
  useful for playing games

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Results from Nursing Staff

• 67 (6/9) allowed young people to use their
  mobile phone on the ward (with caveats)
• All staff allowed parents to use a phone, but
  told them they had to be off the ward to do so
• 44 (4/9) had concerns about the use of mobile
  phones on the ward intrusion v technology
• 100 felt it was helpful for adolescents to be
  able to use their phones on the ward

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Comments from Nursing Staff

• Adolescents need to keep in contact with their
  friends and family. Some are resident for a long
  time and can feel very isolated
• Sometimes it is their only means of contact as
  Patient Line is too expensive

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• To keep in contact with friends is very
  important to most adolescents and it is important
  to keep things as normal as possible for them
• Yes, especially for those who are unhappy and
  want to leave. If they can text or chat to mates
  and family it may be helpful

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Discussion
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The Needs of the Young Person

• While in hospital, adolescents psychological and
  social needs must be considered one of these is
  the need for communication

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Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency

• July 2004
• Total ban on mobile phones is not necessary
• Can be used in designated areas where there is
  little or no risk of interference with critical
  medical equipment

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Department of Health

• January 2009
• Recommends that patients should be allowed the
  widest possible use of mobile phones in hospitals
  where a risk assessment indicates it is not
  harmful to do so

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• Most young people had access to a mobile phone
  during their admission - the majority had both
  made or received calls, and had sent or received
  text messages.
• Nursing staff were generally supportive of mobile
  phone use, but did not always tell young people
  on admission that they could use their mobile
  phones.

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Potential Problems

• Intrusion
• Camera phones
• Confusing ring tones with medical device alarms
• Patients answering a phone in the middle of
  consultations

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• To overcome these difficulties, the policy could
  include
• Phone on silent/vibrate at all times
• No calls should be made or answered during ward
  rounds or consultations
• The camera function should not be used

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Conclusion

• A more flexible approach to the use of mobile
  phones should be adopted
• Adolescents should be told on admission that
  mobile phone use is permitted

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