Critical Care Nurses' Practices in Clinical Alarm Management: Barriers and Predictors From a Mixed-Methods Study in...

Clinical alarms serve as vital safety mechanisms in Critical Care Units (CCUs); however, alarm fatigue and ineffective management remain global safety concerns. Evidence from Palestine is scarce, where staffing shortages and limited resources may further affect alarm management practices.

This study aimed to assess critical care nurses' practices regarding clinical alarm management, identify perceived barriers, and examine predictors influencing these practices in the southern West Bank, Palestine.

A cross-sectional design was used, involving 146 critical care nurses who completed a structured questionnaire assessing alarm management practices and barriers, with two open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative responses were thematically analyzed.

The mean alarm-practice score was 3.56 out of 5. The majority of participating nurses had poor alarm management practices (65.8%). Female (β = 0.31, p < 0.001), alarm training (β = 0.22, p = 0.004), and younger age (β = -0.21, p = 0.025) significantly predicted better practices. Major barriers were inadequate staffing and frequent false alarms. Four themes emerged: alarm fatigue, workload issues, limited training/support, and environmental or technical obstacles.

Alarm management practices among critical care nurses were below the expected standard. Addressing staffing limitations, strengthening training programs, and implementing supportive policies are essential to enhance alarm safety in Palestinian CCUs.