Widely used throughout medical facilities, nurse call systems are key to any hospital. By installing a nurse call system, communication is streamlined in an area where having quick and accurate communication between the patient and nurse is key. Below, we examine the functionality and features of Nurse Call Systems.
Why is a nurse call system important?
Having key information transferred from patient to nurse is vitally important and in some instances could really be the difference between life and death. Having one continuous calling system can help streamline this communication. Not only are nurses and patients better able to communicate, but messages and directions between the nurse and doctor are better relayed through a unified calling system. Having a nurse call system also allows the nurses to have up-to-date notifications of any changes in their patients’ status. This allows nurses to better respond to meet the changing needs.
Why do I need a new system? My medical facility already has a system in place.
The original call systems used in hospitals were big and bulky. Additionally, they were incredibly cumbersome relying solely on wired communication. This meant there were bulky installations, and the hospital room arrangement was widely dependent on the patient being able to access the call system. The next evolution of call system featured a light coded system where different color lights indicated different needs. While these were certainly a way to communicate, they were very limited. Using only lights, not a ton of information could be relayed to the nurses or doctors. Fast forward to the call systems of today where many of the systems are IP based. This allows for voice and message exchange between parties. The more information transmitted the better care patients are able to receive.
What additional features can I get with a new nurse call system?
Below, we have outlined just a few of the features available from a new system.
- Real-time location systems, also called RTLS. This allows the hospital to easily locate nurses on the floor. Often time, nurses have vital information and updates regarding the patients they are caring for.
- Improved two-way communication that goes between patient and nurse, but also between nurse and doctor.
- New integration of medical equipment monitoring patients in critical condition. This means that heart monitors, oxygen monitors, and many other types of monitors can be viewed remotely by attending nurses.
- Main dashboard for the nurse station allows even more streamline communication. This mainframe dashboard allows the staff to see exactly where nurses are distributed throughout the hospital and easily locate where each nurse is.
- Many new systems are completely wireless. Not only does this improve communication, but it helps to reduce costs from traditional wire installations.
