Buyer’s Guide to Nurse Call Systems for Hospital

Nurse call systems are a vital component of any hospital, providing an essential means of communication between patients and nurses. These systems allow patients to alert nursing staff when they need assistance, ensuring I did they receive timely and appropriate care.

Today’s nurse call systems go beyond basic communication between patients and staff. They have a wide range of features and benefits, making it even more challenging to select the best system for your facility. 

This article will explore the importance of nurse call systems for hospitals and what hospitals should consider when purchasing a new nurse call system.

Keep reading to find out more and discover why Staco Electric is Kansas City’s top choice for industrial electrical services and how we can help your hospital find the best nurse call system for your needs.

What is a Nurse Call System?

Your residents and patients want to feel safe and secure, regardless of whether your nurse call system is used in a retirement home, long-term care facility, rehab facility, or hospital. Luckily, with modern technological advancements, the communication between healthcare providers and those they serve has drastically improved, providing the potential to improve responsiveness, quality of care, operational efficiency, and patient or client satisfaction.

Nurse call systems are used in hospitals to provide patients with 24/7 access to nurses. They can indicate there’s an emergency situation in a patient’s room or in less critical situations, tell nurses a patient needs the assistance of a nurse when using the restroom or taking pain medication.

A nurse call system is a service that patients or hospital staff can activate by pressing a button on a wall-mounted box or from another room using buttons near the patient’s room door or via a nurse call pendant. This system allows patients and staff to pick up a phone and press one or two buttons to immediately notify a designated staff member or dispatcher that assistance is needed.

Nurse call systems are much more sophisticated today to keep up with the growing number of patients and the increasing demands on nursing staff. In fact, nurse call systems can be designed as an integrated service that is part of the overall phone system or as their dedicated phone network, with each unit connected via a trunk line.

Why You Should Consider Upgrading Your Nurse Call System

Every healthcare facility is responsible for the safety and well-being of its patients and residents. Nurse call systems ensure patients receive the care they require as soon as possible by providing a quick and reliable way to request assistance. This is especially important in emergency situations where time is of the essence.

Understanding the steps to take and considerations to make when researching the many different national call systems available for your hospital or healthcare facility will simplify the process from selection to implementation. If your facility is thinking about upgrading to a new nurse call system but can’t make a decision, here are several reasons why you should consider upgrading your system today:

Improved Communication

Older nurse call systems typically don’t provide an effective way for nurses to know what the patient needs, only that they called. Fortunately, today’s systems enable patients to easily communicate their needs to the assigned nurse.

Rather than pressing the same button for every need, many systems now allow users to select from a menu of options. While the nurse is on the way, systems can also allow for two-way communication between the nurse and the patient, providing effective communication to help both patients and nurses in your facility.

Better Allocation of Nurses

Most hospitals are woefully understaffed, so nurses must know where they need to be when they need to be there. 

With an upgraded nurse call system, patients can page the nurses’ call station, and an alert is sent directly to a nurse’s phone. They can also respond with specific statuses depending on the situation, which can help nurses manage their time and labor.

More Available Information

In an emergency situation, it’s very important to relay information to the appropriate parties as quickly as possible. Fortunately, another significant advantage of modern systems is that many of them include advanced analytics and reporting.

Informing nurses about things like fall alerts or specific codes can help them walk into a situation with more available information, allowing them to tackle the problem at hand more quickly. This can assist your facility in identifying areas for improvement regarding patient satisfaction and safety. Some modern nurse call systems can even be linked to heart rate monitors or other medical equipment, alerting nurses immediately if a patient is in critical condition.

Customizable Options

Customizable systems are also a considerable benefit for nurses. Unlike previous systems, newer nurse call systems allow for easy customization, allowing you to get the exact system you require for your healthcare facility.

Today’s systems can easily integrate with other building systems, such as access control and security. You can also choose a completely wireless nurse call system to save time and money on installation by eliminating the need for extensive wiring. To improve workflow, newer nurse call systems can also remind nurses of scheduled rounds, medication administration times, and other vital tasks.

What to Look For in a Nurse Call System for Hospitals

If you are a hospital administrator, physician, or nurse, you understand the importance of having a reliable and efficient nurse call phone system. But what should hospitals look for when purchasing a new nurse call system?

Finding the best nurse call system for your hospital does not have to be complicated. Whether you are selecting a nurse call system for the first time or simply upgrading your current system, there are some critical factors to consider when choosing the best nurse call system for your healthcare facility.

Brand Credibility

As with any product installed in a high-need facility, brand credibility is essential. When you entrust a service provider with the installation of your hospital’s nurse call system, it’s crucial to be sure that your healthcare facility will have access to the most dependable nurse call systems in the industry.

System Features

As needs evolve and new technologies emerge, nurse call systems have become significantly more modern. When searching for a nurse call system for your facility, be sure the system has vital features that your hospital needs to provide sufficient care.

User-Friendliness

A nurse call system’s user base is as diverse as those who come in and out of the hospital and those who work in patient care. With such a diverse range of ages, abilities, languages spoken and experience, the learning curve must be as simple as possible.

Adaptability

Hospitals are known for being places that never stand still, especially regarding the technology that runs their facilities. As a result, they require technology that will grow and expand with them. Choosing the right nurse call system means you’ve discovered something that not only meets your needs today but also can meet your needs tomorrow.

Maintenance

Lastly, as with any piece of equipment or technology, your nurse call system will eventually require maintenance. As such, knowing who will be in charge of maintaining the system and dealing with any service issues is vital in knowing which system will best fit your needs.

Choose Staco Electric for Your Hospital’s Nurse Call Systems Provider

Choosing the right nurse call system allows your facility to provide better care and meet the needs of your patients. While the decision-making process may seem daunting, the factors mentioned above will guide you through the process to ensure you purchase a nurse call system that meets the needs of your staff and patients and helps you achieve sufficient care.

For over 40 years, Staco Electric has been providing electrical maintenance services to help our Kansas City customers improve how they communicate and operate. Our team of highly trained, fully licensed, and experienced electrical maintenance service specialists works closely with healthcare professionals to help them find a nurse call system that allows nurses and other healthcare practitioners to communicate more effectively and efficiently while providing the highest level of care to their patients.

Are you considering upgrading your hospital’s nurse call system?

Contact Staco Electric today to speak with one of our experts about how we can assist you in selecting the best nurse call system for your needs and discover how our team of electrical service and installation specialists can help you.