The Influence of Age on Frequency of Nurse Calls: Insights from an Ageing Japan.

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the influence of age on the frequency of nurse call use in Japan, a country at the forefront of an ageing society. The analysis was conducted by examining the history of nurse call usage using data from approximately five million records accumulated over four and a half years at a university hospital. Results showed that people in their 30s used nurse calls the least. As age increased, the number of patients using the service increased. In patients aged 30 and older, the percentage of patients who use more than five nurse calls per day increased with age. Those aged 30 and below showed different trends, with particularly high usage among teenagers. When estimating future trends in requests to nurses, it is important to consider the impact of both ageing and declining birth rates.