Element D Services
Electrical
D5034 Fully Supervised Nurse Call
Systems
PART 1 - GENERAL
1.01
OVERVIEW
A. This Section includes design standards and requirements for other electrical systems. This is
a design standard and is not intended to be used as a Specification.
PART 2 - DESIGN CRITERIA
2.01
GENERAL
A. The general purpose of the standard is to provide minimal criteria for nurse call design at M.
D. Anderson facilities regarding code compliance and uniformity.
B. To protect the health and safety of patients, visitors, students, faculty and staff, all installation
must be in accordance with: NFPA 99, Standard for Health Care Facilities and NFPA 101 Life
Safety Code.
C. There shall be no interconnection between the nurse call system and the fire alarm system.
PART 3 - SPECIAL CONTRACT DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS
3.01
GENERAL
A. The system must provide notification to communications center, bed interface, TV interface,
auxiliary alarm (I.V. pumps, ventilators, etc.) interface, light interface and visual electronic
banners interface.
B. Power for the nurse call system shall be provided from the critical branch of the electrical
emergency system, which is connected to alternate power sources by one or more transfer
switches during interruption of normal power.
C. Three different types of nurse calling system are required to be installed in a hospital:
1. A nurse regular call system;
2. A nurse emergency call system; and
3. A staff emergency assistance call system. The hospital shall comply with the specific
requirements for nurse calling systems for the particular unit of the hospital.
D. Effectiveness of Alarms:
1. In areas where the nursing staff is unable to see the zone light or hear the audible alarm,
consideration must be made to add audible annunciators at each of the zone lights. This
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
ODG030210
FULLY SUPERVISED NURSE CALL SYSTEM
D5034
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Element D Services
Electrical
D5034 Fully Supervised Nurse Call
Systems
consideration must be reviewed with the Manager/Director that is responsible for the
department.
3.02
NURSE REGULAR CALL SYSTEM (PATIENT STATION)
A. A nurse regular call system is intended for routine communication between each patient and
the nursing staff. Activation of the system at a patient's station will sound a repeating (every
20 seconds) audible signal at the nurse station, indicate type and location of call on the
system monitor, and activate a distinct visible signal in the dome light outside the patient
room door.
B. In multi-corridor nursing units, additional zone lights shall be installed at corridor
intersections.
C. The audible signal shall be canceled and two-way voice communication between the patient
room and the nursing staff shall be established at the unit's nursing station when the nursing
staff answers the call. The visible signal(s) in the corridor shall be canceled upon termination
of the call. An alarm shall activate at the nurses station when the call cable or pillow speaker
is unplugged.
D. Nurse regular call stations will be provided at:
1. All patient bed locations.
2. Some examination/treatment rooms, as required by the project programming document.
3. If there are no specific requirements regarding nurse regular call system in the Project
program, the A/E shall request a list of examination/treatment rooms to be provided with
nurse regular call. This request shall be submitted in writing to M. D. Anderson Patient
Care Facilities - Clinical Engineering.
3.03
NURSE EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM (PULL/BATH/LAVATORY STATION)
A. A nurse emergency call system is intended for patients to summon nursing staff in an
emergency. Activation of the system shall sound a repeating (every 5 seconds) audible signal
at the nurse station, indicate type and location of call on the system monitor, and activate a
distinct visible signal in the dome light outside the patient room door.
B. In multi-corridor nursing units, additional zone lights shall be installed at corridor
intersections. The visible and audible signals shall be cancelable only at the patient call
station.
C. Activation of the system shall also activate distinct visible signals (Duty Station) in the clean
workroom, in the soiled workroom, medication, charting, clean linen storage, nourishment,
and equipment storage except outpatient areas.
D. A nurse emergency call system shall include a pull cord extending to within six inches of the
floor accessible to a collapsed patient lying on the floor.
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
ODG030210
FULLY SUPERVISED NURSE CALL SYSTEM
D5034
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Element D Services
Electrical
D5034 Fully Supervised Nurse Call
Systems
E. Nurse emergency call stations will be provided at:
1. All lavatories designated for patients (excluding public waiting areas, unless Nursing
identifies a specific patient risk).
2. All showers designated for patients (must be within reach of a 5 foot tall person to cancel
the call).
3.04
STAFF EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE CALL SYSTEM (CODE BLUE STATION)
A. A staff emergency assistance call system (code blue) is intended to be used by staff to
summon additional help in an emergency. In open suites, an emergency assistant call
system device shall be located at the head of each bed and in each individual room.
B. The emergency assistance calling device can be shared between two beds if conveniently
located.
C. Activation of the system will sound an audible signal at the nursing unit's nurse’s station,
indicate type and location of call on the system monitor and activate a distinct visible signal in
the dome light outside the patient room door.
D. In multi-corridor nursing units, additional zone lights shall be installed at corridor
intersections.
E. Activation of the system shall also activate visible and audible signals in the clean workroom,
in the soiled workroom, medication, charting, clean linen storage, nourishment, equipment
storage, and examination/treatment room(s) with back up to a continuously staffed area
(other than the nurse station or an administrative center) from which assistance can be
summoned.
F. In critical care units, recovery and preoperative areas, the call system shall include provisions
for an emergency code resuscitation alarm to summon assistance from outside the unit.
G. The system shall have voice communication capabilities so that the type of emergency or
help required may be specified.
H. Staff emergency assistance call stations will be provided at:
1. All patient bed locations.
2. Each operating, recovery, emergency examination and/or treatment area, critical care
unit, special procedure room, cardiac catheterization room, angiography room, stresstest area, triage, and outpatient surgery, admission and discharge area
3. Each imaging suite procedure room.
4. Each nuclear medicine suite treatment, diagnostic, observation, and secondary recovery
room.
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
ODG030210
FULLY SUPERVISED NURSE CALL SYSTEM
D5034
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Element D Services
Electrical
D5034 Fully Supervised Nurse Call
Systems
5. Each outpatient suite treatment, diagnostic, observation, and secondary recovery room.
PART 4 - PRODUCTS
4.01
GENERAL
A. Refer to Master Construction Specifications.
B. The approved nurse call system for M. D. Anderson is the Dukane ProCare system or
Telligence, its current advanced version.
C. Depending on the needs of the end user, size of the Project, the number of devices to be
supported by the call system, the need for future expansion, the initial cost, the operating and
maintenance requirements and life-cycle costs, and other economic parameters, Dukane
ProCare 2000, ProCare 6000 or Telligence systems must be installed.
PART 5 - DOCUMENT REVISION HISTORY
Issue
Rev. 1
Date
Revision Description
01-01-07
Initial Adoption of Element
03-02-10
Renumbered Element from D503001
Revisor
SAK
Rev. 2
Rev. 3
Rev. 4
Rev. 5
END OF ELEMENT D5034
The University of Texas
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
ODG030210
FULLY SUPERVISED NURSE CALL SYSTEM
D5034
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