A cry for help: time to re-think the patient call bell in an ageing population

Abstract

Historically, the patient call bell has been the mechanism by which patients can alert a health-care worker to provide help. The authors were concerned that, in an increasingly comorbid population, this method of raising help was not fit for purpose. They therefore reviewed every level 3 bed space (n = 283) in a district general hospital over a 2-week period and assessed the usability of the call bell at each occupied bed. The call bells were on average 82 cm away from the bed. More worryingly, over one third (38.1%) of all inpatients were unable to understand independently the role of the call bell and how to use it. The authors conclude that, in times of immense inpatient bed pressures, it is critical that there are robust strategies to highlight the significant number of patients who cannot use the call bell and ensure they are given an appropriate ward location.