Clinical Alarm Management in Terms of Knowledge and Practices Among Palestinian Critical Care Nurses in the West Bank

Inadequate nursing management of critical area alarms negatively impacts patients' health and increases the risk of adverse outcomes. There is a lack of studies examining clinical alarm management-related knowledge and practices among Palestinian critical care nurses (CCN) in the West Bank.

This study aimed to assess CCNs' knowledge and practices regarding clinical alarm management and identify associated demographic factors among Palestinian CCNs in Southern West Bank hospitals.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in critical care units of governmental and non-governmental hospitals in May 2024. A total of 155 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of clinical alarms, and practices related to clinical alarm management. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.

Of the 155 nurses, 60.6% experienced a lack of alarm-related training. Only 16.1% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge and 35.5% had good practices. Nurses with Master`s degree or higher showed significantly better knowledge (p < 0.001). Younger, less-experienced, female, single nurses, who received alarm-related training, had better practices (p < 0.05).

The critical gaps in nurses' knowledge and practices concerning clinical alarms demand immediate attention. Educational and training initiatives are essential for improving alarm management for enhancing patient safety.