Evaluating the Construct Validity of the Charité Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire using Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality
• Medical Device Technology
• Psychological Measurement

Background:

• Alarm fatigue is a significant issue for nurses and physicians, impacting patient care.
• Standardized measurement of alarm fatigue is needed to address its effects.
• The Charité Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire (CAFQa) was developed to measure alarm fatigue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the hypothesized two-scale structure of the CAFQa.
• To confirm the construct validity of the CAFQa for measuring alarm fatigue.
• To establish the reliability and applicability of the CAFQa in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Two independent studies were conducted with intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and physicians in Germany.
• Confirmatory factor analysis using the unweighted least-squares algorithm was employed.
• Convergent validity was assessed by correlating questionnaire scores with self-reported alarm fatigue and false alarm exposure.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesized two-scale structure in both studies.
• Good model fit indices (RMSEA <0.05, SRMR <0.08) confirmed the questionnaire's validity.
• Moderate correlations were found between CAFQa scores and self-reported alarm fatigue, and weak correlations with false alarm exposure.

Conclusions:

• The CAFQa effectively measures the construct of alarm fatigue as hypothesized.
• The questionnaire provides a reliable tool for researchers and clinicians to assess alarm fatigue in nurses and physicians.
• The CAFQa's validated structure supports its use in standardizing alarm fatigue measurement.