NURSE CALL SYSTEMS Bluetooth connection
With Altra Link, any of these accessories, switches, triggers, and many other wired devices, can simply and safely connect via Bluetooth, eliminating the need for unsafe trailing cables and wires. This technology is particularly suited to dementia-aware environments, and will be discussed in more detail later on. Using Altra Link, epilepsy or enuresis devices can be connected to the nurse call system in a hospital environment. These devices, wirelessly connected, provide automatic monitoring and activation of the nurse call system, an ideal way to offer reassurance to both users and staff without a risk of trips and falls, and can easily ‘follow’ the patient if they are moved to a different location.
Dementia focus
According to the Office for National Statistics, the proportion of the population aged 85 and over is projected to double over the next 25 years. With a rapidly growing older population, there is inevitably increasing pressure on hospitals to accommodate older patients with additional care and support needs, even in general wards. Ten years ago, health sector research suggested that a quarter of all hospital beds were being used by people living with dementia. Now hospitals are admitting even larger numbers of elderly patients with dementia. However, very often they are not equipped or ready for the challenges that care homes have to deal with daily, beginning with the problematic process of transferring dementia patients into and out of a hospital.
The most extensive dementia care experience comes from the care and nursing industry, and this experience is something that hospitals could learn from. Some initiatives include improvements to room environments such as themed and colour-coded rooms for better identification; plain, matt flooring for more confidence walking, and movement- sensing lights to help residents navigate at night. Social spaces such as gardens, cinemas, or themed relaxing lounge areas, are also very important, but are not always available in hospitals. From a technology point of view,
Courtney Thorne’s Altra Health – a ‘future-proof smart wireless nurse call system’.
assistive dementia care devices play a key role in protecting residents and helping staff to react more effectively to risky situations. Such technology includes pressure mats, door contacts, and various other triggers. There are already some good examples among hospitals where the urgent need to address this trend harnessing specialist care and facilities has been recognised.
‘Silent’ functionality a feature As Lee Bushell from Warrington Hospital’s Estates Capital Projects team explained: “A lot of knowledge and research has gone into designing a facility that is both practical and reassuring for patients. The wireless nurse call is a fundamental part of this approach, because it is flexible, easy to use, suitable for use outdoors, and even offers ‘silent’ functionality through integration with nurses’ pagers. The data we can access through the system also ensures that we can reassure relatives about the high standard of care and predict staffing requirements more accurately.”
Dementia patients may, of course, not only risk their own safety, but may also affect other patients in the same ward. Using nurse call systems connected to special movement triggers allows an immediate response from nursing staff, and ensures that everyone is kept safe, comfortable, and secure.
Courtney Thorne’s Altra system in use at Warrington Hospital.
76 Health Estate Journal October 2018
Estates and facilities role Healthcare estates and healthcare engineering teams play a crucial role in the safe and efficient management, operation, and development, of all hospital premises, and the related functions and resources needed to provide effective care. Very few people are happy to stay in a hospital longer than they need to; hence everyone working in such facilities aims to make patients’ time there short, secure, and comfortable. One of the tools used to achieve this is healthcare technology. With constantly changing needs, technological
developments, and pressure from various stakeholders, it is important to continuously keep up to date and learn the best practice. Often learning can come from other sectors that have already developed methods to make cost-savings when choosing technology, that understand and meet requirements of the changing patient profile, and are well-versed in preparing for the future needs of the care industry. Care homes have already done much of this work, and hospitals could save time, money, and effort, by adopting similar systems and processes to those now being used in care homes across the country.
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GretaLucinskiene
Greta Lucinskiene, Marketing manager at Courtney Thorne, is an experienced marketing and communications specialist, who is ‘passionate about visual communications, continuous improvement, and cost-effective solutions’. Prior to joining Courtney Thorne, she worked in higher education and social enterprise organisations. She passionately believes that different industries can and should learn from each other, and work in partnership to address business and social issues.
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