Free checklist
Nurse call system annual maintenance checklist
The annual nurse call system service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against the applicable building code, manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Before testing
Unit-by-unit test schedule agreed with nursing leadership
Schedule set around census with nursing leadership, charge nurses told on the day, and patients in rooms under test told and shown the backup call method.
No photoStation list and room map on hand for the test
Current device list with room, bed, priority and dome light mapping in hand, so every call can be checked against where it should show.
No photo
Full station test
Every station tested and confirmed annunciating to the correct location
Each station placed a call, the master and corridor dome showed the correct room and bed, and the call cleared correctly, with results logged station by station.
Wiring, terminations and station mounting inspected
Terminations tight at the stations and panel, no damaged cords or loose faceplates, mounting secure at the correct height.
Every dome light lamp-tested in all its colors
Each corridor dome shows every color and segment the system uses, lenses clean and uncracked, and none left dark from a failed lamp or LED board.
Master and integration
Master station and any integration outputs verified
Master displays and audibles correct, and any integration (pager, phone, or duty-station handoff) confirmed passing the call to the right destination.
Unanswered calls escalate to the next tier on each unit
Where escalation is programmed, a call left unanswered moves from the assigned caregiver to the charge nurse or next tier on the unit's set timing.
No photoStation disconnect raises a located fault at the master
Vendor's tech disconnects a station, and any wireless device, under their procedure; the fault shows at the master with its location and reaches the named responder.
Software version, configuration backup and clock checked
Server or controller on a vendor-supported version, configuration backed up, and the clock matching facility time so call and response reports line up.
No photo
Backup
Power supplies and head-end cabinet inspected
Power supply output normal on its display or test points, cabinet vents clear and dust-free, and the supply fed from the circuit the drawings show.
Backup battery age and charger checked where fitted
Battery install date within the manufacturer's service life, case and terminals sound, and the charger showing a normal float, on systems with battery backup.
No photoBackup power load-tested with utility power removed
Utility power dropped and the system confirmed carrying calls on backup for its rated interval, no stations dropping offline, result documented.
No photo
Close-out
Every unit returned to service and its charge nurse told
All stations and devices back online at the master, test assignments removed, backup call method withdrawn, and each unit's charge nurse told it is back.
No photoAnnual record filed station by station with the vendor's report
Station-by-station results, escalation times, faults and repairs filed with the vendor's service report and a call and response report for the owner.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Stations spot-checked instead of tested one by one, so a mis-addressed room annunciates as the wrong location and stays that way.
- Backup power confirmed only by its indicator light and never load-tested, so it collapses the first time it actually carries the system.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this nurse call system annual checklist cover?
- 14 items across 5 sections, covering before testing, full station test, master and integration, backup, and more. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The licensed integrator on the annual service; the field observes and documents, the integrator tests and documents.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, scheduled around occupancy so every station can be taken out of service briefly and tested.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 6 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 7 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a nurse call system annual inspection?
- Stations spot-checked instead of tested one by one, so a mis-addressed room annunciates as the wrong location and stays that way. Backup power confirmed only by its indicator light and never load-tested, so it collapses the first time it actually carries the system.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 7 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.