To provide a nursing support method and apparatus capable of using a data communication compatible terminal displayable of contents as well as a data communication incompatible (or voice communication exclusive) terminal.

A nurse call master unit 103 connected to a plurality of nurse call slave units 104 is connected to a data communication incompatible premises PHS terminal 106 and a data communication compatible premises PHS terminal 107 being nurse call reception terminals via a telephone exchange master apparatus 100 and a premises base station 105. A processing software section 109 of the telephone exchange master apparatus 100 discriminates whether a reception terminal is compatible with data communication or incompatible with data communication and preferentially inserts a nurse call calling display message to the display contents for the information purpose when the reception terminal receiving the nurse call is busy by data communication.