Talking and Texting, or Breathing.
Myspace or my beating heart. Tough call, right? A new study published today in the Critical Care Journal tested second and third generation mobile devices (i.e., cell phones with internet access, BlackBerrys, etc.) in the Critical Care environment and found that:
“…nine [of seven] intensive care ventilators…could be ‘influenced’ by mobiles.
Of these, six were described by the researchers as ‘hazardous’…
Critical care monitors were also vulnerable, with seven out of 13 disrupted by mobile signals, while three out of seven syringe pumps were affected [two of which were hazardous].
Other devices which suffered problems were dialysis machines [one hazardous event], external pacemaker machines [one hazardous event], feeding pumps and even air humidifiers.”
BBC News article
A hazardous event is defined by the study (which can be found here as a PDF) as “direct physical influence on the patient by an unintended change in equipment function, for example total stopping of ventilator or syringe pump.”
Total stopping of ventilator doesn’t sound so good, does it? Many of these events occurred without any alarms going off.
The average distance between the mobile device and the equipment, when the events occurred, was three centimeters. That’s pretty close, but you’ve got to consider things like a BlackBerry stuffed in a doctor’s pocket as he/she leans over the patient and/or equipment. Some incidents occurred at a distance of a few hundred centimeters.
The study supports maintaining the current rule of keeping mobile devices one meter away from the patient’s bedside and from any equipment. Restrictions have been relaxed over time, especially since medical staff use these devices to, like, do their job. Even so, with new and fancier wireless technology, it’s best to keep a safe distance.
Moral of the story: Do not check your Myspace while sitting at someone’s bedside in the ICU. Shut that stuff down, and keep it off until you are many, many centimeters away from any and all medical-type equipment, lest your Palm Pilot stop someone’s heart.
O, a centimeter is like an inch, except it is smaller and therefore inferior.
That is a joke about how America is better than other countries, according to America, of course.
Ah, America…
Critical Care Journal, mobile, cell phones, study, hazardous, restrictions, distance, equipment, ICU, BlackBerry, interfere, centimeter
April 10th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I keep listening to the news speak about getting free online grant applications so I have been looking around for the best site to get one.:)