On this page
01. The moment that matters02. What waiting really takes03. Picture the day after04. How a call travels05. What to check before you buy06. How we set it up07. What we supply08. Your first small step09. FAQ
An IP intercom at the nurses' station lets staff speak to other wards, the pharmacy and theatre without leaving the ward, and keeps the station the calm centre of the unit.
Key takeaways
- Walking to ask
- Messages by memory
- A station that is not the centre
- A tired team
01The moment that matters
Think about a nurse's night. She has ten patients. One needs a drip checked, one is asking for a relative, one is due a dose that pharmacy has not sent. To find out about the dose she has to leave the ward, walk to the pharmacy and walk back, and in that time the drip finishes and the relative arrives. She is not slow. She is one person doing the work of a switchboard and a messenger on top of nursing.
02What waiting really takes
03Picture the day after
Give that nurse an intercom at the station. She presses for pharmacy, asks, and gets the answer while she writes. She presses for the ward below, confirms a bed. The relative is met at the door by the receptionist who rang through. She stays with her patients and the station finally behaves like the centre of the ward, because everything comes to it, by voice, instead of requiring her to go and find it.
04How a call travels
05What to check before you buy
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Keys and names | Which departments sit on which keys |
| Hands-free | A speaker and microphone that work in a busy ward |
| Noise | Good audio in a noisy ward |
| Privacy | Calls not heard by other patients |
| Backup power | The core stays up in a power cut |
| Support | Who repairs it, and how fast |
06How we set it up
- 01Walk the hospitalWe note every ward, desk, door and the routes staff walk to talk to each other.
- 02Draw the call planWho rings whom, which desks share a number and where calls go if unanswered.
- 03Cable and powerNetwork cable to every device, with power over the cable where the model supports it, and backup power for the core.
- 04Fit and configureIntercoms, phones and handsets installed, named and set up.
- 05Test every pointA call from every device to every group, including after-hours routing.
- 06Train each shiftA short session at shift change, then a check after two weeks.
07What we supply
We design, supply and install IP intercoms, SIP desk phones, wireless handsets, ceiling speakers and the network behind them for hospitals, clinics and care homes. We stock Fanvil IP phones and intercoms and can quote other brands where they fit your site better. Send us a plan or a photo of your nurses' station and we reply with a written quote.
08Your first small step
Ask your night sister one question: what do you leave the ward to ask? Send us the list. It becomes the key map for your intercom, and a good reason to start.
09Frequently asked questions
Will it add noise to the ward?
Volume and tones are set with the sister, and calls can use handsets.
Can we call a doctor?
Yes, on a handset or a desk phone.
Do nurses need training?
Press the department and talk; a short briefing is enough.
Can the station be called back?
Yes, from any other desk.
