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Are auditory warnings in the intensive care unit properly adjusted?
J F Solsona1, C Altaba, E Maúll
1Intensive Care Unit, Hospital del Mar, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. 13713@imas.imim.es
Journal of Advanced Nursing
|August 8, 2001
Summary
Auditory warnings in intensive care units (ICUs) are often set incorrectly. Daily recording of alarm parameters improved the adjustment of these critical care alarms for stable patients.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nursing Informatics
Background:
- Auditory warnings in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are crucial for patient monitoring.
- Improperly set alarms can lead to alarm fatigue and desensitization.
- Previous studies suggest suboptimal alarm parameter settings are common.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to improve the adjustment of auditory warning parameters in an ICU.
- To assess whether routine recording of alarm data impacts alarm setting accuracy.
Main Methods:
- An intervention study with before-and-after assessment was conducted in a medical-surgical ICU.
- Alarm parameters (breathing rate, expired volume, airway pressure, SaO2, blood pressure, heart rate) were recorded over three phases.
- A 12-month intervention involved daily recording of alarm parameters in patient medical records.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant improvement was observed in the adjustment of alarms for expired volume, heart rate, and systolic blood pressure post-intervention.
- The coefficient of variation (CV) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) indicated better alignment of alarm settings with patient values.
- Daily recording of alarm parameters proved effective in enhancing auditory warning adjustment.
Conclusions:
- Auditory warnings in ICUs for stable patients are frequently set inappropriately.
- Routine daily recording of alarm parameters in patient medical records is an effective intervention to optimize alarm settings.
- Healthcare providers should be vigilant about the accurate calibration of ICU alarms.
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