ALARM FATIGUE:

Major Pitfalls:

• ·         Desensitization – the nurse become overwhelmed by the sheer number of alarm signal, can lead to longer response times or to missing important alarms that they lose the urgency and attention-grabbing power that they ought to have and sadly missing critical events, causing harm to patient or worsening of their condition and even death. Also known as “cry wolf situation”.
• ·         Disruption in Patient Care – causing patient dissatisfaction. It creates an unsafe patient environment because a life threatening events may be missed or being unattended. So another issue that is affected is the safety of the patient. Sometimes patient can’t rest with multiple alarms or signals going off in the room. At times, the patient removes the monitoring sensor without informing the nurse.
• ·         Stress or anxiety in staff and patients or relative – constant beeping, false-alarms causes stress to the staff, patient or even the relative of the patients. Sometimes, to block out noise to concentrate in current task, they turn down the volume of audible signals, adjust the alarm setting, ignore alarm signals, or even deactivate or turning it off which has resulted to sentinel events or even patient deaths.
• ·         Workload increase – nurses has abundance of notifying devices such as nurse calls, pagers, monitor alarms, etc. which are consuming time and work and lessens their time in giving care to the patient. Also, monitors with undirected alarms alert all nurses instead of specific nurse.  

There are solutions to solve the problem:

• ·         I think, first is to orient the staff or have the staff with alarm management training to have enough knowledge or understanding on what to do when alarm is activated and not to do when circumstances occurs for proper decision making and avoiding unsafe actions. Simulation as part of the training is also important to help them familiarize with the sound or alarm so that it will cause them stress and becoming on panic mode or anxious. Training or seminar also assess or determine the staff educational needs on alarm devices. A clear knowledge of the operation, alarm features, and limitations of monitors is a key to assessing and understanding causes of alarms, and taking steps to reducing alarms. Education increases the understanding of monitoring systems and how their alarms functions and should be managed.
• ·         Standardize or make alarm management to establish good policies and procedures. It is important to have appropriate settings for alarm signals for appropriate actions like monitoring and responding to alarms, who has the authority or who is responsible for a certain action or situation, and checking of the machines or equipment for proper operation and detectability. Policy development for alarm management with indication for responsibility, default settings, modifications to default values, priority of alarms and staff workloads are properly addressed.
• ·         Centralized alarm by means of strategy which is the alarms is not at the bedside but rather at a central monitoring station where a trained healthcare provider evaluates each alarm and alerts the specific nurse or clinician if the patient needs care or be attended.
• ·         Proper use of equipment is also very important. If we know how to operate properly or use properly the equipment it may give appropriate result and lessens the error or defective machine. Proper maintenance also is a big factor to function properly. Making sure that those machines are properly functioning. And hope the management would consider buying machines with SMART- MACHINES and quality and reliable machines to be use in the area.
• ·         To educate patient is also a big factor. Sometimes, if patient is not properly instructed they remove the monitoring sensors. But if they are educated and well informed why they are being monitor and can benefit with the procedure or treatment, we will ensure their compliance.