I volunteer at a hospital & am wondering what the patients call the unit secretary on

[ladylulu]

Please read whole thing before replying! thanks much

I know it's a silly question, but I couldn't find the info anywhere! So anyway, just like the title says, what do the patients call the unit secretary through? On the receiving end, at the nurses' station, there's a boxy telephone of sorts that rings whenever a patient 'calls' and the room number comes up on a small screen. It can also be used to call patients by punching in their room number. And whoever is using it has to hold down a button to record the conversation (for legal reasons). Is it a intercom system of some sort? A special telephone? A call box? Other??? Sorry for this silly question and thanks in advance

[gigglymo]

It rings through to the secretary after the patient hits the call button in their room. The call button is either on the bed or on the thing that looks like a remote control that also has the TV controls and the light switches. :)

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

It sound like the call light system, that is connected to the gizmo in the patient room that they press when they want the nurse or aide/tech. :)

[houndnurse]

Unit Coordinator where I work.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Everywhere I've worked they have been called the ward clerk.

[NoviceRN10]

I never thought about what that phone system is called? We certainly don't use it to record conversations or requests where I work. I think a unit clerk would have the answer you want :).

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Many of these systems have buttons to hold down, so the specific room is being addressed or listened to.... not to actually record them.

[ladylulu]

Many of these systems have buttons to hold down, so the specific room is being addressed or listened to.... not to actually record them.

omigoodness you're right-i remember being told that now. how could i forget? I was so nervous that i would forget to to press that button that the nervousness did indeed make me forget to press the button the first few times...and i would confused for a couple seconds as to why i couldn't hear anything

[ParvulusPuella]

I think we just call it the Hill-Rom, cause thats who makes ours. We can use it to locate staff (if we are wearing our locators...), as well as respond to call bells with the phone receiver thing.