How long does it take to answer a call light?

mstearns09 · Jul 29, 2013

At our facility, it depends. The initial call light remains green for 3 minutes, then it goes yellow, red, then gray. Gray is when the excrement hits the fan because at that point it has been on for over 15 minutes. Most of the aides on my shift seem to wait until it has turned yellow. I try to answer them as promptly as possible but there are times that I get stuck in certain residents' rooms and cannot answer additional lights. If everyone were to work together as we are required, it wouldn't be an issue.

Moriah02 · Jul 29, 2013

My facility doesn't have a time limit. I could be in a room for 20 mins. that light will still be on when I get out. At my old facility they had to be answered in 8 mins. after that the nurse has to answer it.

Jaynie_Marie · Jul 29, 2013

My facility also wants call lights answered within five minutes - but thats for both room lights and bathroom lights. The nurses carry pagers that go off after a light has been on for five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes, etc; and the DON has a pager that will go off after a fifteen minute call light (hers go off even when she has it at home, and she'll call the facility to see why that happened).

Yes it can be difficult to answer lights within the time limit, but if everyone works together it is possible. Work on getting your time down to the minimum in rooms, and try to make sure everyone is acting as a team and helping each other out.

Mewsin · Jul 29, 2013

We don't have time limits. We try and get to the lights in a timely manner but there are only 2 of us on at night and if I'm down long 1 and the buzzer goes off down long 2 and I'm in the middle of changing someone, well I guess the person in long 2 will have to wait. Unless it is a bed alarm and then one of us looks out to see who it is and how urgent it is we get there.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2013

If there was adequate staffing the bells wouldn't ring long.....once again shaking my head.

rosey200735 · Jul 30, 2013

If there was adequate staffing the bells wouldn't ring long.....once again shaking my head.

Yes I agree with this totally.

mstearns09 · Jul 30, 2013

If there was adequate staffing the bells wouldn't ring long.....once again shaking my head.

Hear hear. Or in the case of the facility where I work, adequate staffing and *quality* staffing.

duskyjewel · Aug 2, 2013

Wouldn't it be great if the next time the DON calls in to find out why her call light pager went off, someone had the balls to say, "Because we don't have enough staff to meet those time limits. Maybe you should do something about that."

A girl can dream.....

mstearns09 · Aug 2, 2013

Wouldn't it be great if the next time the DON calls in to find out why her call light pager went off, someone had the balls to say, "Because we don't have enough staff to meet those time limits. Maybe you should do something about that."
A girl can dream.....

In my case, it's the facility's administrator who does this and someone has and she still doesn't get it. Go figure.

JDZ344 · Aug 3, 2013

My facility doesn't have a time limit, and doesn't monitor how long they have been ringing, but personally, I do try to answer as soon as I can. Often I am stuck with one patient for a while, but generally, if that is the case, one of my co workers will answer it for me, and if I hear a call bell ringing and I am free, I will answer it even if it's not on my assignment. At night on some wards, there is just 2 nurses and 1 assistant for anything up to 30 patients, so it is hard. In the day with 3/4 assistants on it is easier.

oregon_love · Aug 7, 2013

Only CNAs answer call lights my facility. And there is no time limit to when a call light must be answered. That said, everyone is pretty prompt about answering 'their' call lights but doesn't usually answer 'other CNAs call lights'. The only time there is a hold up is if I'm with another resident. Depending on the resident, depends on how quickly I try to answer the light if I'm already with a resident. One resident has her call light going off every forty-five mins for BR, but has cath. So she can wait a bit longer if I'm with someone else. But if it's someone who rarely calls, I try to get there as fast as possible.