Just for fun.... re: call bells...

AngelicDarkness · Jun 20, 2011

I had a pt call for EVERY little thing, he called me in there one time and didnt even look at me and said put the remote in my hand, it was in his lap he knew it was there he wanted me to put it there, his arms were fine. That got me, usually I'm pretty cool and laid back, but I wanted to say Really?

I have a resident like that now. The remote is RIGHT beside her bed with her phone (or call bell in this case) and she called me to come pass her the remote. I also have a lot of patience but at that point I wanted to be like "it is RIGHT beside you? That remote RIGHT BESIDE you?"

I feel guilty thinking like that sometimes but it a place of 95 people for 1 nurse and 1 psw, we kind of have significantly more important things to attend to.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

Answering call lights is not a priority in the ED. If I'm not busy, I'll answer, but if I've got a million things on my plate, the call light is going to have to wait. If the person is really in trouble, we'll know because we have telemetry in the hallway, and I would imagine the family would have sense enough to flag someone down instead of sitting there pressing the call button (though there are some people that I wonder about).

I love it when I go into a room and the person says "I think my call bell is broken. I've been pushing it and pushing it and nobody has come!". "I'm sorry maam, we're very busy, but I'm here now. What is it that you need?" "Well, I was wondering if I could get another warm blanket/cup of ice water/my pillow adjusted/something to eat." Meanwhile there are five able bodied family members sitting there.

Sometimes, if it's someone particularly needy, with a lot of little insignificant "wants", I'll tell them "Your call bell is working just fine. What is it you need?", which often gets the point across.

I like the shock idea.

Crux1024 · Jun 20, 2011

When people ring the call bell and ask for the remote 2 inches away or the water pitcher within arms reach...whether or not im in the room, they are STILL getting it themselves and I will "strongly encourage" them to do more so that their recovery goes quicker. My favorite is when a male patients hand can suddenly not reach his groin and needs urinal help

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

I would further OP's suggestions with my own:

Make it so call bell use can be programmed differently for individual patients. So, Pt. A fresh out of the ICU with six different lines attached to them can have 5 calls per hour. On the other hand, Pt. B who is ambulatory and going home tomorrow gets 2 calls per hour. All call bell uses above the approved ratio go to administration instead of the floor nurses. ALL OF THEM. And they must fix w/e problem it is (water, pillows, my blinds need closed) themselves.

Truth is, call bell abuse can be traced back to administration. They advertise in such a way that leads people to believe they are supposed to be waited on hand and foot. But, the staffing they assign does not support the message they give the general public. Most places are staffed just barely well enough to ensure no lawsuits can occur........in other words, mortality drives staffing ratios not "customer service".

So, since they are the ones who puts it in the heads of the general public that we are a Bed+Breakfast, but don't staff for it.................let them deal with the fall out.

ledzepfan · Jun 20, 2011

I walk into a pts room to answer the call bell. I am dressed in a scrub uniform,

I am wearing my hospitals ID badge, I have a stethoscope around my neck.

ME: Can I help you?

PT/FAMILY: Do you work here?

ME: :eek:

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Jun 20, 2011

I love it when I go into a room and the person says "I think my call bell is broken. I've been pushing it and pushing it and nobody has come!". "I'm sorry maam, we're very busy, but I'm here now. What is it that you need?" "Well, I was wondering if I could get another warm blanket/cup of ice water/my pillow adjusted/something to eat." Meanwhile there are five able bodied family members sitting there.

This happened to me just yesterday. Patient calls to go to the bathroom. No less than 10 visitors in the room, three of whom had been cleared by PT for toilet transfers. All 10 visitors stayed in the room while I transferred the patient to the bsc...gave me attitude when I asked them nicely to step outside. All just sat there, watching me put the patient on the bsc and then watching the patient use the bsc (all while commenting how she probably needed some boiled prunes and turning to me to ask why we hadn't given her any boiled prunes), then watching me put the patient back in bed. Absolutely ridiculous.

Another patient's family then put on the call light to tell me that they wanted me to take the patient's PEG tube out...NOW. Then rolled their eyes and huffed and puffed when I told them I couldn't oblige their request. :rolleyes:

belgarion · Jun 20, 2011

It isnt so much pushing the call bell that bothers me than when you go into the room to respond and then ask them after if they are all set/need anything else......only to have them call out again 5-10 minutes later that drives me bananas!

Maybe we could add a surcharge for this.

Had a pt. recently who rang the bell during every shift change. Her family had told her that since there are so many nurses "hanging out" at those times she was sure to get waited on more "expeditiously."

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 20, 2011

Had a pt. recently who rang the bell during every shift change. Her family had told her that since there are so many nurses "hanging out" at those times she was sure to get waited on more "expeditiously."

Gah! Our RN licenses are synonymous with waitressing.... Sometimes I wonder.

nicu4me · Jun 20, 2011

Couldn't wait for NICU = no more call lights, now its just the constant monitor alarms!

I hated the call lights, I may be the only one down that wing and there could be 3 on. My response is to the pt that says "I think my call light is broken", is no I saw it but 2 were ahead of you. HAHA And also loved the ones where they didn't know it was on or it was an "accident", they r testing you! One time I told someone that's ok, we only charge $5.00 per call light. I thought I could joke with this patient but he believed me and I had to tell him I was REALLLY just kidding.

But the best way to avoid the call light problem when I worked nights is to go down the schedule for the night. I will be here now to assess, then around 2 to turn you over and do vitals, then around 4 or 5 lab will come in and such. I also said you may see me in here putting your scheduled 2am tordol, reglan IV or me checking your IV, so you will see me or the tech will be checking on you. At the beginning, address the blankets, the lights, the toileting, pain, etc. it really cut down the # of times.

I wish the families weren't allowed to push them either. Big zapper for them.

wooh, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

My favorite is when a male patients hand can suddenly not reach his groin and needs urinal help

That hand usually starts working just fine once you send in a male staff member to help with that. :lol2:

butterfly134 · Jun 21, 2011

Back when I started we used to have an intercom and when somebody rang the bell we could as them from the nurses station why they rang the bell. If it were something they should be doing themselves (talk about keeping patients independent) we would encourage them to do it.
That intercom is sadly missed

that sounds epic!! i wonder why they god rid of it. I think maybe they should have a call bell plus the intercom and an emergency bell......and give em a list of emergencies that they should call the bell for. At the end of the day, the bell is there for a reason but it shouldnt be misused.

AgentBeast, MSN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

The best are the patients that forget the call bell even exists and start shouting names or just NURSE!!! out into the hallway. Love that. :up: :lol2: