for medical equipment alarms to prevent alarm fatigue.
per patient due to technological advances in medical care.
What are common factors that lead to alarm fatigue?
Observational study performed in five ICU settings over a thirty-one days.
Sendelbach S & Funk M. (2013). Alarm fatigue: A patient safety concern. AACN Advanced Critical Care 24(4): 378-386.
George TP & Marti􀅶􇘠 V. 􀍾􇸃􀏮􎸃􀏬􎰃􀏭􎴴4􀍿􇼮. What’s that sou􀅶􇙤d? Ma􀅶􇙡agi􀅶􇙧g alar􀅵􇔠 fatigue. Nursing made easy 12(5): 6-10.
Summary of Work Working within a hospital, alarms have become a part of the milieu on all units. Florence Nightingale said, "Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel absence of care which can be inflicted either on sick or well." The Joint Commission has estimated that 85-99% of alarms are insignificant. The Joint Commission (in 2013) required that hospitals create guidelines for medical equipment alarms to prevent alarm fatigue. With alarms being as frequent as they are within hospital units, there has become a desensitization or delayed response from nurses in responding to them. Although a high number of alarms are false or insignificant, the delay in response could prove to be fatal or harmful in true event situations. Nurses working in ICU settings can be exposed to over 40 different alarms per patient due to technological advances in medical care.