Using A Laptop While in Hosptal

[chrissa1]

If I take my OH's laptop into him while he's in hospital will he be able to log on wirelessly, if there is such a word?

[bednobs]

you will need your own dongle. Although the hospital will have broadband it'll either not be wireless, or will be not available for patients to use

[woofgang]

only if there is a public hotspot, which I doubt in an NHS facility. Does he have a dongle to connect with? He might be able to do this, although there can be places in hospital where the signal is weak or non existent due to walls etcetera.
He will need to check if its allowed as in some areas it can affect monitoring equipment and is not allowed.

[Nibble]

That would depend on the hospital's policy to wi-fi, laptops & what type of ward your OH will be on. Also be aware of other peoples reasons fro being in hospital. Suggest you check with your hospital before taking OH's laptop in.

[DTCwordfan]

How is he now......???

[bednobs]

you could always ring your hospital's PALS to find out

[woofgang]

Be aware that on wards that have the tv and phone things that cost an arm and a leg, there may be signs up telling you to switch off mobiles. These aren't because of clinical need but to make you buy the phone card. Ask your husband's nurse what the score is. Generally they prefer email and texting to phone calls and TV because they are less disruptive to other patients

[chrissa1]

Cheers all. DTcross, he's feeling a bit better but is as miserable as sin. He didn't speak to me for 4 days, blaming me for his incarceration.

[ttfn]

Hi chrissa, I did post on your originial zimmer frames thread to ask after your husband. Have the doctors given you a full diagnosis and course of treatment?

[welshlibranr]

Hopefully if there is a good signal for his mobile phone on his ward, you'll be able to buy him a dongle from his phone provider which he can then load with credit, and use to surf the net, but as other Abers have said, you need to check with the hospital if this is allowed...................hope you can get this sorted for him, sure it'll sheer him up a bit!.........................

[AlBags]

Remember .. Mobile broadband (through a mobile dongle) is expensive.

[JonnyBoy12]

Patients are expressedly advised not to take items of value into hospital with him, and the Ward Sister may order him to take it home again, or put it in the safe for safe keeping. In any event if this computer gets stolen then he will not be able to claim as all personal items are taken in at patient's own risk.

Sorry to be so negative, but I used to work as a nurse, and have been in hospital many times, and this is always the case. Hope this helps.

[woofgang]

He won't be able to claim against the hospital but home insurance may cover stuff in hospital. Ward sisters can't confiscate items or require them to be taken home on the grounds that they might be stolen(although they might try lol) but do make clear that it's there at the patients own risk.

[DaisyNonna]

So hospital security is rubbish?

[chrissa1]

jonnyboy, I was thinking of just taking it in when I visit and then taking it home again.
ttfn, he's not really much better and being a stubborn individual it's taken him this long to agree to have an MRI scan. His swollen feet have subsided with medical intervention though. Thanks for asking.

[boxtops]

It can depend what ward you are on - you can't use mobile phones in certain areas with critical monitors etc.

[welshlibranr]

I agree, not cheap, but if it helps him to get by!.............then maybe worth the cost!..hopefully won't be for very long before he's home again!...................

[AlBags]

Just take a Netbook and hide it in the bedpan.

[woofgang]

Given that wards are open and visitors and staff wander in and out and patients who are able are allowed to leave the ward, security as such is nigh on impossible.

[chrissa1]

Commode perlease!!!!