A mom eagerly scrubs up and walks into the NICU to see her baby. The precious little one has been in the NICU for two weeks, and today she is graduating to an open crib! The mom approaches her baby’s bed, and the nurse tells her she has been waiting for her so they can move the baby into the crib together!
After the exciting ‘graduation’, the mom quickly pulls out her cell phone to make a quick call to dad telling him the wonderful news! Only the nurse stops her right as she puts the phone to her ear, politely reminding her, “no cell phones in the NICU”.
In all the excitement, the mom forgot. She takes a moment to leave the NICU and make the cell phone call outside. Why do most NICUs have a policy about no cell phones in the unit?
NICU and Cell Phone Policies
The simple answer is that the signals from a cell phone can interfere with the NICU equipment. This includes ventilators, monitors, and pumps. Cell phones, when used in close proximity to these types of equipment, have the possible capability of triggering false alarms, turning off equipment without warning, and even shutting down and restarting certain types of equipment.
To prevent these risks, most NICUs will ask parents, visitors, and staff to refrain from using cell phones inside the unit. If they wish to use their phones, they must exit the unit.
One positive side note is that most neonatal ICUs will have land lines somewhere near the baby’s bed available for parent usage. Parents can make calls from these phones so they do not have to leave their baby’s bedside.
Also, with camera phones increasing in popularity, several neonatal intensive care units are allowing parents and visitors to use their cell phones to take pictures only.
So, remember, turn off your cell phone when entering the NICU. Doing so ensures the best possible care for all the infants.
