Call light response time policy and procedure

blondy2061h, MSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

i don't think that's unreasonable. obviously if i'm dressed out bc a patient is in isolation and i'm changing their bed i'm not going to stop what i'm doing, undress, and go answer the light that is probably, "can i get my pain meds" or "will you bring me some ice," BUT if i'm in the hall or in a patient's room that i'm able to step out of, i do think you/i should (and i do) go and answer it immediately. if it's "will you bring me some ice" i will finish up what i'm doing and then get some ice. if it's, "i need to go to the bathroom" i will go to their room right then if what i was doing can wait. when you gotta go, u gotta go!

Sorry, if I'm checking meds, chemo, or blood products I'm not going to risk making an error there by interrupting what I'm doing to go to answer a call light. If I'm with a patient i'm not going to leave them to see what another patient needs. If I'm on the phone with a doctor, pharmacy, nursing supervision, etc, I'm not going to stop that to go answer a call light. If I'm waiting for someone I paged to call me back, I'm not going to leave the phone to go answer a call light and further disturb whomever I paged in the middle of the night's life and sleep more.

SweetLikeSugar · Mar 23, 2011

at the hospital I work at, we are timed on how quickly we answer the call lights. A timer was installed at the nurses station and as soon as the patient hits the call button, the timer starts. The timer doesn't stop until we physically go into the patient's room and climb behind their bed and press a button to cancel the call light. Pie charts are displayed in our break room letting us know the results of our timeliness. :icon_roll

General E. Speaking, RN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

at the hospital I work at, we are timed on how quickly we answer the call lights. A timer was installed at the nurses station and as soon as the patient hits the call button, the timer starts. The timer doesn't stop until we physically go into the patient's room and climb behind their bed and press a button to cancel the call light. Pie charts are displayed in our break room letting us know the results of our timeliness. :icon_roll

Geez, why don't they just surgically insert an implant in your head... :rolleyes:

felineRN · Mar 23, 2011

at the hospital I work at, we are timed on how quickly we answer the call lights. A timer was installed at the nurses station and as soon as the patient hits the call button, the timer starts. The timer doesn't stop until we physically go into the patient's room and climb behind their bed and press a button to cancel the call light. Pie charts are displayed in our break room letting us know the results of our timeliness. :icon_roll

Big Brother is Watching YOU

:chair::chair::chair::chair:

wooh, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2011

at the hospital I work at, we are timed on how quickly we answer the call lights. A timer was installed at the nurses station and as soon as the patient hits the call button, the timer starts. The timer doesn't stop until we physically go into the patient's room and climb behind their bed and press a button to cancel the call light. Pie charts are displayed in our break room letting us know the results of our timeliness. :icon_roll

We had the computer guy come out and ask why we took so long to respond to a code button. Because it timed how long it took from the code button being pushed until the code button was turned off. Now I don't know about y'all, but when I walk into a room where the code button has been pushed, turning off the button is NOT my first priority. (When I walk into a room where just the call light went off, it's not my first priority.) Especially since we want the code light staying on in the hall so the responders can find the room.

So I asked the guy when "P" for "Push the off button" started to come in front of the "ABCs" of ACLS and PALS. I also asked him when they would start teaching the new changes at those classes. And could he please point out the policy that states we're to push buttons prior to assessing our patients.

OldNurseEducator · Mar 23, 2011

amen, amen, AMEN!!!
i get a 30 minute (unpaid) break and there are times while i'm taking that break that i will leave my break to answer a light if nobody is around. BUT there are times when 3-4 nurses will be sitting around sharing pics, talking about their weekend, etc. while they KNOW i'm on my break and they KNOW i haven't sat down all night and they will let it beep...and beep...and beep (once i timed it - 6 minutes/3 nurses)....when they are 2 feet away from the phone/call light system as if they expect me to leave my break and get it. i'm sorry, but i'm not going to change a crappy brief in the middle of my meal. i'm not going to answer a light only to hear someone say, "i need my pain meds" in the middle of my ONLY UNPAID break when there are nurses right there doing NOTHING. i think some nurses forget that we are the ASSISTANT and we are there to HELP - not to DO what they are capable of doing especially on break. UGH!
once again, AMEN!

Have you ever been a post op patient in pain who has been waiting 45 minutes for a pain pill? I think those other nurses not on their breaks but ignoring call lights out to be ashamed of themselves. Just sayin'.:nurse:

CathyLew · Mar 23, 2011

Hello:
1. Facility call light response policy and procedure (how long do you allow for CNA to answer call light)
2. Refusal of care policy and procedure.
Thanks.

Just be careful when you make the policy. If you put in that the care-giver will answer the light within 3 minutes... how do you measure that? If there are timed call bells (like my last job) who runs a log of the call bells and QA's that measurable goal that you put in the policy? And there are times when you go to the room, the patient/resident is half way OOB and you start care of transfering patient before you get to the button to cancel the light. That may be a response of under a minute, with a call bell log of 10 minutes. If you put a measurable goal in the policy, there may come a time when a surveyor wants to see how you track that.

and refusal of care. what care? refusal of a dressing change on a deep pressure ulcer is in a different class as refusal of having your dentures soaked. They have the right to refuse anything. We have policies that if a patient refuses a medication, the MD needs to be notified. If the patient refuses to brush their teeth before breakfast, that is just documented in the chart.

3dayRN · Mar 23, 2011

We have had a policy for awhile that states NO ONE is to walk past a room with a call light going off (still haven't figured out what they want us to do if we are walking to a room where we just answered a call light at the nurse station and have to walk past the room with a call light going off to respond to the one you just answered at the nurses station) but ANYWAY, I think it's funny that our manager or shift supervisors, who are nurses obviously, and they themselves walk past a call light. Don't you think this should include them also??

CathyLew · Mar 23, 2011

how could you do that? NO ONE? if you have a med or treatment for one patient...you aren't taking that med or blood transfusion into another room because the call bell is on.

purse · Mar 23, 2011

I usually answer my call bells according to who it is.. since im the only aid on the floor, if the lady i know is just calling for her on the second pain pill...and someone else is calling that doesnt normally call id answer them first.

Batman25 · Mar 23, 2011

I guess if I'm running down the hall because my patient can't breathe but there is a call light on for a patient requesting their tenth glass of ice I should stop. It's only right. I mean the patient will just have to not breathe a minute longer. I would never want someone to have to sip warm soda. Breathe smeathe. I have my priorities in order. lol Seriously...where do these morons come up with these plans? Horrible.

kool-aide, RN · Mar 23, 2011

I guess if I'm running down the hall because my patient can't breathe but there is a call light on for a patient requesting their tenth glass of ice I should stop. It's only right. I mean the patient will just have to not breathe a minute longer. I would never want someone to have to sip warm soda. Breathe smeathe. I have my priorities in order. lol Seriously...where do these morons come up with these plans? Horrible.

"breathe smeathe." hahahahahhahaha