May two call buttons for adjacent beds be served by a single calling station?

The correct answer indicates that two call buttons for adjacent beds can indeed be served by a single calling station. This is in line with common design and operational practices in healthcare settings, particularly in nursing homes and hospitals. Utilizing a single calling station for multiple call buttons can enhance efficiency and reduce clutter in the caregiving environment. It allows staff to respond to multiple patients or residents from one central location, which can improve response times and streamline communication.

This arrangement is often acceptable in caregiving facilities, provided that the system is designed to ensure that calls are clearly differentiated, enabling staff to identify which resident needs assistance. Such systems are typically designed with features that allow for immediate recognition, meaning that caregivers can prioritize their response based on the specific call.

Disallowing such a setup, as suggested by some other options, would complicate patient care unnecessarily and could lead to increased alert fatigue, where staff become desensitized to call buttons if they cannot distinguish their sources effectively. Thus, the practice of using a single calling station for adjacent beds balances operational efficiency with quality patient care.