Knowledge and Management of Alarm Fatigue on a

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Knowledge and Management of Alarm Fatigue on a Medical Intermediate Care Unit Kathleen A.

Knowledge and Management of Alarm Fatigue on a Medical Intermediate Care Unit Kathleen A. Williams, SN Introduction The purpose of this project is to improve nurses’ knowledge and management of alarm fatigue on the Medical Intermediate Care Unit at Hershey Medical Center. Methods • • • Administer survey via Survey. Monkey to nursing staff. Identify gaps in knowledge. Create educational flyer from research of current best evidence. Distribute flyer and other supportive handouts. Educate staff at each shift change and other opportunities as they present. Obtain staff signatures confirming receipt of education and commitment to expected practice and nursing actions. Results • Survey response 30/48 for an overall response rate of 62. 5%. • Knowledge deficits identified in the following areas: definition and impact of alarm fatigue; current alarm monitor policy; practice points for management of alarms. • Following distribution of flyer and educational intervention, 25/48 signatures were obtained for an educational impact of 52%. Discussion The vast majority of alarms are false (85 -99%). Nurses on the MIMCU expressed frustration at how disruptive false alarms are to daily workflow (8. 1 out of 10). A count of alarms in a 24 -hour period revealed an average of 260 alarms per bed per day with maximum daily alarms per bed as high as 1, 000. False alarms lead to the potential of ignoring or missing important alarms. 90% of nurses on the MIMCU have witnessed delays in response to an urgent alarm situation and almost half have witnessed patient harm in the last year as a result of alarm fatigue. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Initial and ongoing education is beneficial to increasing nurses’ knowledge of alarm fatigue and methods of alarm management. Translation of knowledge into practice is expected to decrease noncritical alarms to reduce alarm fatigue and improve patient safety. References Borowski, M. , Gorges, M. , Fried, R. , Such, O. , Wrede, C. , & Imhoff, M. (2011). Medical device alarms. Biomedical Tech (Berl), 56(2), 73 -83. doi: 10. 1515/BMT. 2011. 005 Cvach, M. (2012). Monitor alarm fatigue: An integrative review. Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, 46(4), 268 -277. Retrieved from http: //search. proquest. com. ezaccess. libraries. psu. edu/docview/1036941813? accountid=13158 Cvach, M. M. , Biggs, M. , Rothwell, K. J. , & Charles-Hudson, C. (2013). Daily electrode change and effect on cardiac monitor alarms: An evidence-based approach. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 28(3), 265 -271. doi: 10. 1097/NCQ. 0 b 013 e 31827993 bc Dandoy, C. 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