Okuzeka
Nursing vocabulary · Talking to Patients and Families

Call bell

Meaning in nursing, with examples

/ˈkɔːl bɛl/nounCore term

In nursing, call bell means: A button by a patient's bed or in the bathroom that the patient presses to call a nurse for help.

In Turkish: hemşire çağrı zili, hasta çağrı butonu

How it is used

Nurses tell patients 'Press the call bell if you need anything' and check that it is within reach, especially for patients at risk of falls. A bell 'goes off' or 'is ringing'. US hospitals usually say 'call light' or 'call button'.

Example sentences

  1. Here's your call bell. Please don't try to get up on your own; press it and someone will come.

  2. Bed 3's call bell has been ringing for a while; can someone answer it?

Common collocations

  • press the call bell
  • answer a call bell
  • within reach of the call bell
  • call bell response time
  • fall riskHow likely a patient is to fall, judged from things like age, medicines, confusion, poor balance or earlier falls.
  • reassureTo say or do something that makes a worried person feel calmer and less afraid.
  • check onTo go and see someone, or look at something, to make sure they are all right or that nothing has changed.
  • personal careHelp with the everyday tasks of looking after the body, such as washing, dressing, using the toilet, mouth care and shaving.

More terms: Talking to Patients and Families

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.