How do I Monitor the Use of Alphanumeric Beepers in a Hospital?

Alphanumeric beepers are used in hospitals to communicate with staff. They allow messages to be sent to health care providers advising them of a patient's condition or test results. Transport staff members rely on alphanumeric beepers to notify them when patients need transportation from the floor. Dietary personnel use pagers to inform them when orders are ready to be taken to patients or when trays need picked up from the floor. Monitoring the use of alphanumeric beepers allows management to ensure that the pagers are kept track of and are being used for work purposes.

Instructions

How to Monitor Alphanumeric Pagers in a Hospital

• 1

  Keep track of pagers by using a sign-out sheet. At the beginning of their shift, employees sign out a beeper. Staff members sign their name and the pager tracking number. A pager's tracking number can be its serial number or a number assigned to each pager. Sign-out sheets allow beepers to be monitored by showing when and by whom each beeper is used. If a pager is lost or broken, refer to the sign-out sheet to see who was using it at the time of the incident. Employees sign in the beeper when it is returned at the end of their shift.

• 2

  Use a log for each beeper to ensure that it is being used for work purposes only. Every time a pager is used, the information sent to the pager can be tracked and logged into a computer program set up to monitor the hospital's pagers. This ensures that they are used for work-related matters instead of personal use. Log sheets can show what information is being sent to each beeper. Messages sent via pager and the phone number it originates from can be seen using a log sheet. Advise staff members that logs will be used and reviewed to assure that pagers are not abused.

• 3

  Use GPS (global positioning system) or tracking programs to monitor the location of pagers. Pagers can be equipped to send out signals showing their location. This helps prevent them from being lost. If a pager is misplaced, an employee can notify a manager, who can then log onto the tracking system and retrieve a signal from the beeper displaying its location. Tracking systems that indicate a beeper's location can also help recover stolen pagers. Systems that track pager locations can be set up using specialized computer software that is compatible with the pager. Talk to an IT or software specialist to discuss which system is right for the hospital prior to purchase.

• 4

  Check beeper logs when pagers are signed in and out for use. Make sure each beeper's log is clear when staff check them out at the beginning of their shifts. When they are turned in, management can check the pager's log to see what messages were sent to the pager and by whom. Set up pagers so that a password or code is required to delete messages to prevent employees from deleting personal messages from the beeper prior to turning it in at the end of their shift. Compare beeper logs with messages saved on the pager to ensure they are being used for business matters.

• 5

  Test pagers to ensure that they are working properly when they are signed in and out. Monitoring pager use includes making sure they are working properly. This ensures that messages are received, preventing delays that may affect patients and staff. Inform management of any problems that arise during a shift. Pagers that are not working properly should be traded in as soon as the problem is noticed. Employees should sign in the malfunctioning pager and sign out a new one. Describe the problem to management so they can address the issue and fix or replace the alphanumeric beeper.