The nurses' station must be equipped with a communication
system designed to receive calls from the resident and nursing service areas
required by this part. The communication system, if electrically powered, must
be connected to the emergency power supply. Nurse calls and emergency calls
must be capable of being inactivated only at the points of origin. A central
annunciator must be provided where the door is not visible from the nurses'
station.
A. A nurse call must be
provided for each resident's bed. Call cords, buttons, or other communication
devices must be placed where they are within reach of each resident. A call
from a resident must register at the nurses' station, activate a light outside
the resident bedroom, and activate a duty signal in the medication room,
nourishment area, clean utility room, soiled utility room, and sterilizing
room. In multicorridor nursing units, visible signal lights must be provided at
corridor intersections.
B. An
emergency call must be provided in each resident toilet room, in all areas used
for resident bathing, dayrooms, therapy areas, and activity areas. If a pull
cord is provided it must extend to within six inches above the floor. A
push-button type emergency call must be installed at a height of 24 inches. An
emergency call must register a call from a resident at the nurses' station,
activate a duty signal in the medication room, nourishment area, clean utility
room, soiled utility room, and sterilizing room, and activate a signal light by
the bedroom door. The emergency duty signal must provide a visual signal light
and an audible alarm.
C. If a nurse
call system provides two-way voice communication, it must be equipped with an
indicator light at each call station which lights and remains lighted as long
as the voice circuit is operating. Nurse calls of this type may be capable of
being inactivated at the nurses' station.
