Introducing a two-way wireless communication system.

Three medical/surgical units in a Midwestern medical center introduced a two-way wireless communication system to test its effect on environmental noise, staff communication, timeliness of response to patient requests, nurse fatigue and job satisfaction. Data were collected through focus groups, surveys, pedometer studies and work sampling. Results provide for nurse managers the first objective evaluation of the potential of this new device and a framework for designing other nursing evaluations of the effects of a new technology.