Smartphones cut down time spent waiting for nurses

New technology help patients get a nurse quickly

The University of Minnesota Medical Center has issued smartphones to all of its nurses in order to cut down wait times after patients press their call buttons, and though the nurses were skeptical at first, the program seems to be working.

When hospital patients call nurses with the call buttons built into their beds, it is usually because they have pressing needs at that moment. Unfortunately, many of these calls go unanswered for several minutes, traveling an inefficient route through the nurse's station, which prompts nurses to receive a summons on their pagers, according to a Fox News report.

The new system integrates the phones with the hospital's computers, meaning that three nurses receive an instant message within seconds of a call button being pushed. So far, patient satisfaction is much higher.

"Sometimes they kind of joke because three people will come in and answer their call!" said one nurse, quoted by Fox 9 Morning News.

If the system continues to show success or if new applications are found for it, there is a chance that its usage will become more widespread. Would-be nurses can learn more about the cutting-edge medical technology in use today by enrolling in an nursing education program.