RTM Nurse Call Systems
SUPPORTING SAFER, SMARTER AGED CARE
Nurse Call System failures cost money, reputation and lives
Many health care facilities still use nurse call systems that trigger a basic chime and a flashing light, with no confirmation of who responded or when. These legacy systems persist across the world in hospitals and aged care facilities.
However your nurse call system can be far more advanced. It should function as the communication nerve centre of your facility, smart, contextual, and accountable. In this article, we explore what works, what to avoid, lessons from real facilities, and how to implement meaningful upgrades.
Why Traditional Nurse Call Systems Often Fail
Legacy nurse call for aged care or hospital settings often fall short due to:
- Noise without context: alerts ring without clear location or urgency
- Limited accountability: responses aren’t logged or traceable
- Manual reporting: audits and compliance depend on paperwork and memory
In one aged care centre, staff acknowledged routinely ignoring certain alerts, assuming they were triggered in error. In another, multiple brands of nurse call systems across different wards meant fragmented data and uneven response times.
What a Modern Nurse Call System Must Deliver
Real‑time alerts & accountability
Modern systems support dynamic escalation, timestamped alerts, location awareness, and automatic logs, all visible via one dashboard. This not only improves workflow but builds staff trust in the system.
Caretech for nurse call fitouts
Hospitals require systems that integrate with EMRs, duress alarms, and paging platforms. As part of our group, Caretech offers IP and RTLS-enabled nurse call systems that support complex routing and wireless infrastructure. These ensure high availability and seamless alert escalation across departments.
Ease of use for aged care settings
In aged care, ease of use is critical. Call buttons must be clearly marked, pendants simple, and integrations with mats or sensors reliable. Caretech’s aged care platform includes voice activation, Bluetooth support, and modular components suitable for a wide range of room types and resident needs.
Not wanting to invest in a new system
The RTM Cloud’s dashboard integrates legacy nursecall systems into their monitoring software. Critical alerts will never be missed again, reporting and monitoring of multiple systems happens from one easy to use dashboard. This is ideal for facilities wanting to boost performance before a full replacement.
Ongoing service & monitoring
Ongoing service matters as much as the hardware and software setup. RTM’s cloud monitoring platform tracks device health, duress events, and system performance, alerting managers to faults and anomalies before they become safety issues. This ensures facilities are maximising device uptime and never missing critical alerts that can become fatal.
What your Nurse Call System should deliver
| Feature | Why it matters | Key question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Escalation & routing | Ensures timely fallback | “If unanswered, what happens next?” |
| RTLS / location services | Provides context for alerts | “Does it track staff or patients?” |
| Reporting & analytics | Supports compliance and improvement | “Can it auto‑generate reports?” |
| Integration (EMR, duress, fire) | Reduces alert silos | “Does it sync with our other systems?” |
| Fault detection | Avoids unexpected system failure | “Will I be notified of hardware issues automatically?” |
Frequently asked questions
What is a nurse call system?
A nurse call system enables patients or residents to request assistance. Staff receive alerts routed with location and escalation, all of which are logged and reportable.
How do hospital and aged care nurse call systems differ?
Hospitals require more complex routing, multi‑zone alerting, and EMR integration. Aged care prioritises ease of use, voice options, and modular design – but both systems benefit from RTLS and automated reporting.
Can I upgrade without replacing everything?
Yes. Platforms like RTM allow you to layer smart software over legacy systems, adding dashboards, fault detection and analytics before hardware replacement.
How often should nurse call systems be serviced?
Preventative maintenance should occur at least annually, with real‑time diagnostics and alerts running 24/7. Service contracts should include remote monitoring, firmware updates and replacement hardware availability.
Ready to Improve Response Times?
Call the RTM team today to book a free nurse call system audit for your health care facility. We’ll help you uncover blind spots, improve visibility, and build a safer, more responsive facility.
SMARTER FACILITIES, SAFER RESIDENTS, GREATER CONFIDENCE
Ready to take your business to the next level?
Call us today at 1300 997 248 to discover how we can help you streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and elevate your business.