RTLS for Staff Safety: An Easy, Effective + Empowering Addition to Your Nurse Call System

By Jeanne Kraimer, Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Midmark RTLS

In today's evolving healthcare environment, the safety and well-being of staff is paramount. It’s what supports them in delivering high quality patient care. One proven strategy to address the heightened state of workplace violence in healthcare is staff duress technology, powered by a real-time locating system (RTLS).

Staff duress technology is designed to provide immediate alerts during emergency situations, enhancing caregiver safety. Wearable devices, as part of a normal badge used to automate nurse call, allows nurses to signal for help quickly—at just the push of a button.

Improving safety, staff duress technology is an easy, effective and empowering addition to your nurse call system.

Ease-of-Use: Technology Staff Will Want to Use

What makes our staff duress solution so seamless is that it’s part of the same badge used when RTLS automates your nurse call system. Nurses don’t have to worry about carrying an extra device and navigating the challenges that come with that. In the middle of a duress event, second guessing which button you need to push can change the outcome. Staff want easy access to help, while keeping their workflow simple and consistent. Incorporating staff duress into their nurse call badge is just that—it’s technology they are already using, and it becomes second nature for them to reach for their badge when in need of help.

Effective Locating: Precision Where It Matters Most

Being able to signal for help quickly is an asset, but the technology behind the scenes doing the work can make all the difference in the outcome. The different locating technologies on the market offer varying levels of precision. What’s important in a duress event is having the best information possible—who signaled for help, when they initiated the signal and where they are located, as precisely as possible. This level of detail informs security teams with in-the-moment information so they can respond efficiently and effectively.

To take it one step further, the location data being collected in the background offers security teams historical insights into process improvements and security performance—all driving the goal of providing safer care and working environments.

Empowering Work Environment: Confidence in The Culture

A simple duress button signifies hope. It can give staff confidence and empower them to signal for help when they need it most, while alleviating some of the stress or burnout they may feel in their environment. And it can deliver peace of mind, knowing their healthcare leaders prioritize their safety. When caregivers feel safe, they are more likely to focus on delivering high quality patient care. And when caregivers can do the job they are there to do, it can lead to improved satisfaction and reduced turnover.

Next Steps: Adding Staff Duress to Your Nurse Call System

Integrating RTLS-powered staff duress technology into an existing nurse call system is not only feasible, but a strategic investment in the safety and well-being of caregivers.

Begin by assessing current infrastructure and identifying key areas in need of enhanced safety measures. Collaborating with a dedicated RTLS partner who specializes in healthcare can help you weigh the varying degrees of locating technologies and how to seamlessly integrate the best option for your needs into your existing workflow.

Providing staff with the tools they need to feel safe and secure is a proactive step toward enhancing your care environment and fostering a culture of safety. Because in an era where staff safety cannot be compromised, staff duress powered by RTLS can be an easy, effective and empowering way to protect one of your most valuable assets—your staff.

To learn more about deploying Staff Duress with your nurse call system, visit midmark.com/staffduress, download the Workplace Violence infographic or reach out to DTB Systems to start the conversation.