Staff and patients rely on nurse call systems for safety and care. A good nurse call system provides several benefits and there are several options available, including a wireless option. But, safety and security depend on these systems working and working well. Are wireless nurse call systems reliable? Here’s what you need to know:

Are Wireless Nurse Call Systems Reliable?

As long as they are properly installed, supported, and maintained, wireless nurse calls are reliable. With the right products and installation, they are efficient systems that allow for more mobility and independence for patients/residents and faster response times and better efficiencies for staff.

When evaluating wired vs wireless nurse call systems, there are some differences. For example, with wireless systems, you need to make sure signals are strong enough and batteries are charged. This is not a concern with wired systems; in that way, wired systems could be considered more reliable. However, the difference is minute.

It does not necessarily make a wireless nurse call system unreliable; it just makes it different compared to a wired system in terms of considerations for installation and maintenance. Both systems still need power to work, so you will need to consider ways to sustain critical life safety & security systems during power outages to maintain function and reliability.

5 Things to Consider for Wireless Nurse Call Systems That Can Affect Reliability

When it comes to reliability with any security solution, the right mix of products, the right installation, and the right infrastructure make a big difference. Choosing the right security systems integrator for your needs and project can help you determine all the details and ensure installation is done properly. Aside from that, here are a few things to consider for wireless nurse call systems that help make them as reliable as possible:

1. Think About How Many Stations Your Facility Will Need

Both wired and wireless nurse call systems rely on stations installed throughout your facility. Wireless stations have more flexibility and scalability. Although this means that you can always add more stations as you need them, you still need to have enough to cover all the necessary areas when you install the system to make sure it will work reliably for your system. No nurse call system can work reliabily or efficiently if there are not enough stations or devices.

2. Consider Mobile Devices For Patients

Wandering, falls, and more are all common security concerns for assisted living facilities and other healthcare facilities. One of the big benefits of wireless nurse call systems is that they have mobile devices like bracelets, pendants, etc. that allow patients to have more freedom while increasing their safety, increasing response times, and also allowing for wander management and resident locating.

Not only can this help prevent elopement in senior living or assisted living facilities, but it also helps improve the reliability and efficiency of a wireless nurse call system. If you have stations placed strategically throughout the facility in addition to mobile devices, your nurse call system can cover more of your facility and patients and increase both reliability and efficiency.

3. Determine Whether You Need Signal Boosters

Because a wireless nurse call system relies on radio signals, it can be disrupted by a lack of infrastructure to support it, inclement weather, power outages, etc. Just like a wireless internet system needs a strong enough connection to work; a wireless nurse call system needs the same.

There may be areas of your facility that have a weaker signal for one reason or another. This can affect the reliability of your wireless nurse call system. It’s important to analyze your facility with this in mind to determine whether you need signal boosters and if so, how many you need and where they should go.

4. Make Sure You Have a Wireless System With Supervisory Capabilities

Wireless nurse call systems only work when all the components are working and communicating effectively. Because of this, the reliability of a wireless nurse call system depends on batteries remaining charged and every piece being online and running.

If there are stations or devices with dead batteries or issues that prevent them from working, a wireless nurse call system, or any other security system, will not work well. A wireless system with supervisory capabilities will have built-in monitoring and alerts for issues with components like low battery alerts, tampering alerts, connectivity alerts, etc. This allows you to monitor the components of your system and keep everything working reliably.

5. Ensure You Have a Maintenance Plan in Place

Any security system requires regular maintenance to keep working reliably and efficiently. This is why regular maintenance and updates are some of the best practices for managing and maintaining security systems.

A wireless nurse call system is no different. If you want it to continue to work reliably, then you need to have a maintenance plan in place. Regular monitoring, fixing issues as they occur, replacing batteries when needed, updating or adding stations, devices, and signal boosters when needed, etc. should all be part of maintaining your wireless nurse call system.

Make Sure Your Wireless Nurse Call System is Reliable

Nurse call systems improve patient safety, streamline patient care, improve response times, and more as long as they are installed properly and work properly. Are wireless nurse call systems reliable?

Yes. As long as you have the right system in place and the infrastructure to support it, it’s installed properly, and you maintain it appropriately, wireless nurse call systems are incredibly reliable and efficient.

If you are considering a nurse call system for your healthcare or assisted living facility, contact NEPPS at 800-736-1456 to schedule a free site assessment.