A Call Light Responsiveness Program.

Abstract

Purposeful hourly rounding and information on whiteboards in patients' rooms have been known to reduce use of call lights. Call light activation was higher than desired. This continuous improvement initiative used retrospective data collection (pre-, early- and maintenance postintervention) to assess call light responsiveness. A bundled purposeful hourly rounding approach was used. Call light frequency was higher in the early postintervention period than in the preintervention; however, there was no change in the frequency of call lights that extended beyond 5 minutes. In the maintenance postintervention period, compared with the pre- and early postintervention periods, call lights per patient/unit day and call lights extending beyond 5 minutes per patient/unit day decreased (all P < .001). Activation of a bundled purposeful hourly rounding approach was associated with a decrease in all call lights and call lights extending beyond 5 minutes per patient/unit day.