Nurse Call

An electrically operated system by which patients or

personnel can summon a nurse from a bedside station or from
a duty station. Used in Hospital and mental clinics.

bedsides, in bathrooms and showers, as well as in utility

rooms and other areas.
Hallway Communication System - These are strategically
placed stations that allow caregivers, who may be in remote or
isolated locations on their unit, to be notified of calls.

System Types
Basic- The most basic system has nothing more than a button
for the patient. When the button is pressed, nursing staff is
alerted by a light and/or an audible sound at the nurse's station.
This can only be turned off from the patient's bedside, thereby
compelling staff to respond to the patient.
Wireless Nurse Call- Like hardwired systems, wireless types
have the ability to alert nursing staff by sound, light or show
messages in a terminal with less wiring during installation and
reduction in costs.
Intercoms- Staff from the nurse's station can communicate
directly with patients via intercom. This has the advantage in
which staff does not need to waste time walking to the
patient's room to determine the reason the patient made the
call, and they can determine by speaking to the patient
whether the situation is urgent or if it can wait until later.
Cellphone Alert - Newer technology allows call buttons to
reach cell phone-like devices carried around by nursing staff.
Staffers can then answer the calls from wherever they are
located within the facility, thereby improving the speed and
efficiency in the response.
Advantages
Compatiblity
Easy to Install
Affordable
Convenient
Dependable
Efficient
Feature-Packed
RTLS (Real-time Location System)
Scalable
Element
Central Console - central consoles usually dis - play the room
number and status of the call. The central console also may
track and display the length of time that a call has been in the
system from the time the call is initiated until a room
response is indicated.
Voice Intercom - Two Way intercom options allow voice to
voice calls between residents and staff. Calls can be taken at
the nurse call station, by radio or by telephone. This allows
maximum mobility for staff. Conversations are hands free on
the part of residents.
Room Stations - A room station is a device that can create a
signal that can be initiated by patients or staff at patients

Corridor or intermediate station lights - These types of lights

are located outside patient rooms and corridor inter - sections
and are illuminated when calls are signaled, to assist the staff
in locating the calling room.
Laws and regulations
Laws in most places require that a call button must be
in reach of the patient at all times for example in the patients
bed or on the table. It is essential to patients in emergencies.
There are also laws that vary by location setting the amount of
time in which staff must respond to a call. It is the
responsibility of nursing staff to explain to the patients that
they have a call button and to teach them how to use it.
Overuse
Some patients develop the habit of overusing a call
button. This can lead staff to frustration, alarm fatigue, up to
and including ignoring or disregarding the patient's calls or not
taking them very seriously. "Alarm fatigue" refers to the
response - or lack of it - of nurses to more than a dozen types
of alarms that can sound hundreds of times a day - and many
of those calls are false alarms.
Distributed Antenna System (DAS)
Definition of DAS
DAS system is a network of spatially separated antennas
connected to a common source via transport medium
which provides wireless service within geographic area
or structure.
A DAS is essentially an in-building cell site, with its own
wired backhaul to the operator network.
Distributed antenna systems are transparent to mobile
devices, providing both voice and data services to mobile
devices like any tower on the cellular network.
The system requires single RF source which provides the
RF signal input to be distributed inside the building for
better signal coverage to the users inside without much
channel interference.
DAS System Types
There are three types of DAS Antenna systems namely
passive, active and hybrid depending upon the components used in
the system.
1

Passive DAS System

It consists of bi-directional amplifier feeding multiple
antennas via coaxial cable. The system uses tap splitters or power
splitters which divide the power from one main source line to
multiple lines as required.
Passive DAS uses only coax cabling to distribute RF
signals throughout each floor of the building. It is the smallest,
simplest, and often the least expensive DAS solution to implement

because no electronic equipment required in setting this kind of

network.
The advantages of passive DAS are:
simple but time consuming to design.
can be installed in harsh environment.
components from different manufacturers can be used.
coaxial cable used to distribute radio signals, is
inherently capable of supporting multiple frequency.
The disadvantages of passive DAS are:
the radio signal quality degrades farther the cable is from
the RF source.
not well suited for large facilities with long or complex
cable runs.
do not offer end-to-end monitoring.
no check for errors occurred in the system.
not flexible for upgradation.
2

Active DAS System

It consists of active electronics at each passive end and
transport later composed of fiber, coax cable or CAT-5/6e cabling.
The RF signal is converted to an optical signal where conversion
unit is typically located at the head-end.
Active DAS is a solution used for larger spaces and
spaces with more barrier materials that block the RF signals from
traveling through the interior space.
DAS system comprised of Master Unit, Expansion Units
and Remote Units. The functions of each are explained below:
Main Unit (Master Unit) connects to low power base
station or repeater. The Main Unit (MU) distributes the
signal to rest of the system via expansion units (EU).
Usually MU will be connected to the EU by optical
fibers.
Expansion units are typically distributed throughout the
building premises. It takes the signal from MU and
distributes to all remote units (RUs).
Remote Units are placed very close to antenna in order
to keep passive losses to the minimum and improve the
radio link performance. RU is connected to EU with thin
coax or CAT5 cable or similar thin cables which makes it
quick to install compare to rigid passive coax cable used
in passive DAS system.
The advantages of active DAS are:
delivers strong and consistent signal at every antenna
point no matter how far away they are from the signal
source.
ideal for large buildings and they can extend for miles
with no end-to-end signal loss.
can be less expensive and less disruptive to deploy.
The disadvantage of active DAS is:
multiple sets of electronic may be required to support all
service providers wireless technologies and frequencies.
3

Hybrid DAS System

It consists of fiber in the riser (i.e. vertical pipe) and coax
cable in the horizontal runs with active electronics. It is a
combination of both passive and active DAS systems. Hence it

will have hybrid remote unit and power splitters/taps are used to
distribute the main signal to multiple antennas.

The advantage of hybrid DAS is:

signal strength at any given antenna will be higher than
passive but there will still be variability in signal strength
and coverage.
The disadvantages of hybrid DAS are:
hybrid systems have the same signal loss issues in the
horizontal cable runs to individual antennas as a passive
system.
more difficult and expensive to install.
hybrid solutions offer management between headend and
remote units at each floor but not between remotes and
individual antennas.
The Basic Components of a DAS Solution
Whether a passive, active, or hybrid solution, each
DAS system will consist of certain basic components. Though
each DAS solution has common components, it will be built to
overcome the specific communication challenges in a
particular location.
DAS Equipment
Each DAS system will include some of the same
basic components:
Donor Antenna: The donor antenna is placed in an
area where it can readily receive RF signals from a
cell tower or signal source, typically located outdoors
and above the tree line to avoid interference. The
donor antenna can receive multiple frequencies,
which allows for emergency signals and large
capacity system usage.
Head-End Equipment. If the donor antenna is the
eyes and ears of the DAS solution, the head-end
equipment room is like the brain of the system. This
is where the repeater, or bidirectional amplifier,
collects the RF signals for redistribution.
Bidirectional Amplifier: The bidirectional amplifier
receives the signal from the donor antenna. Located
in what is often referred to as the head-end equipment
room, this important component relays and amplifies
the RF signal so that the signal stays strong and
reliable throughout the predetermined location.
Antenna Nodes: Placed throughout the site, the
antenna nodes receive the RF signals from the
bidirectional amplifier. The antenna nodes are
considered the redistribution points of the system..
Coax and Fiber Optic Cable: Each component of
the DAS solution is connected by cabling. Coax
cable, which is less expensive, is used for smaller
DAS solutions, often referred to as passive DAS
solutions. A larger, more complex system, referred to
as an active DAS solution, will use fiber optic cables.
Installation
Densely populated spaces, such as shopping malls,
medical centers and high-rise buildings, are likely candidates
for DAS deployments. In such cases, the wireless operator will

bear the costs of installing the system, as well as ongoing

maintenance expenses.
Deployment
Deployment is the most expensive stage of a DAS
project because installing antenna modules, stringing fiber
optical or coaxial cable between antenna modules and the
controller, and installing a base station are all very labor
intensive processes.
DAS applications.
Hospitality- Hotels, resorts, conference centers
Public Venues- Convention Centers, stadiums,
airports
Government & Education-Govt. offices/municipality,
university campuses
Hospitals- Medium/larger hospitals more than 100
beds
Mixed Use- Malls, mix of residential, entertainment,
and retail spaces
Benefits of DAS (Distributed Antenna System)
Following are the major benefits of DAS system due
to which it is considered over smart cells.
Coverage: DAS architecture provides coverage in
areas that cannot be effectively addressed with
traditional sites.
Capacity: DAS can closely align capacity to actual
market requirements, managing available radio
resources.
Spectrum: DAS uses available frequency spectrum
efficiently through multiple low-power transmission
points.
Reduced Interference: DAS reduces interference
through low radiation centers and lower output
power.
Data: DAS provides better data throughput given
signal strength and proximity of transmission points
to user equipment.
Scalability: DAS is a scalable network that can meet
future capacity requirements, or additional carriers,
by adding additional nodes.
Adaptability: DAS can respond to market dynamics,
equipment
architecture
changes
and
new
technologies.
Extensibility: As technologies evolve and
communications needs change, a DAS solution can
be easily modified to meet the changing demands.
Wireless Support and Security: capable of
connecting to all types of wireless devices and
services including cellphones, Wi-Fi, public safety
radio, and medical wireless systems on same network
without interruption of one another.
Increased Productivity: Increased employees work
by an hour or so by cutting out dead cell areas and
avoiding dropped calls, not missing calls, emails, etc,
Disadvantages of using a distributed antenna system
(DAS)

Higher cost as a result of additional infrastructure

required.
Possible greater visual impact in some applications as a
result of greater number of antennas, although they are
likely to be much lower in height
Transmission Rates/ Environmental Issues: Wireless
connection and antennas can be affected by the
environment and the weather.
Standards: Neither IEEE or ITU have developed
standards for DAS.

Example of DAS Implementing and Design by Harris

Communications
Implementing a Distributed Antenna System Solution
When the expert DAS implementation team at Harris
Communications builds a solution for a client, the team will
first perform a site survey to gather preliminary information
about the location and specific coverage needs. This site
survey includes floor plan details such as public vs. private
areas, and identifies all areas in need of coverage if the
solution will be built for just part of a building
DAS Design
Each commercial location has unique qualities and
challenges that will affect the design of the DAS solution.
Before creating a system for your location, your Harris
Communications expert will need to perform a site survey.
This will allow your surveyor to learn about the many
location-specific factors that will influence your DAS
solution. These factors include:

Size of the Space: The size of your space will help to

determine the type of components, as well as the
number of components necessary for your system.
For example, a smaller space may allow for a passive
DAS solution, which will use coax cabling to
distribute the signals. A larger space will require an
active DAS solution, which will incorporate fiber
optic cabling and will also likely call for the power of
a bidirectional amplifier.
Indoor and Outdoor Spaces: Indoor and outdoor
spaces may require different treatments and different
solutions. Does your space include indoor office
space? Warehouse space? Underground basement
levels? Outdoor decking? A semi-enclosed parking
garage? In addition to indoor and outdoor spaces,
your site surveyor will also consider public and
private spaces, as they may have different
communication needs. The qualities of each type of
space will be considered when configuring the DAS
solution for the entire location.
Building Materials: Different building materials
have different effects on RF (radio frequency)
signals. Whether your building is made of metal,
masonry, or concrete, the materials of your building
will be a determining factor for your DAS solution.

In addition to the qualities of the building and

location, your Harris Communications expert will also take

into account the human factors. Are there certain places that
people spend more time or less time? Safety factors to be
considered? What are your greatest needs and goals

regarding communication? These will all be considered and

will be determining factors when designing the DAS solution
for your space.