Nurse call systems: impact on nursing performance

Outcries for health care reform and more cost-effective patient care have motivated many organizations to examine routine unit activities. The article reports a study that used a descriptive design to examine nursing utilization of and satisfaction with nurse call systems in two large metropolitan hospitals. Findings revealed that nurse call system features such as the ability of unit secretaries to receive and screen patient calls reduced unnecessary nurse interruptions, saved actual nursing time, and enabled some nurses to begin preparing to meet patients, needs before entering their rooms. Problems with the nurse call system identified from the data were the sound quality of the transmission, inability to locate the nurse, inability to prioritize and confirm calls, and inability to speak directly to patients and staff.