Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026

Improving IV Insulin Administration in a Community Hospital
Published on: June 11, 2012
Intravenous Smart Pump Alarms in Everyday Hospital Use: A Real-world Descriptive Analysis
Brenda Abena Nyarko1,2, Cidalia J Vital1,2,2, Karen K Giuliano1,2,2
1Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA.
Background:
Frequent intravenous smart-pump (IVSP) alarms can disrupt workflow, increase alarm fatigue, and threaten patient safety.
Objectives:
To describe the frequency, distribution, and care-area variation of IVSP alarms from the Baxter Sigma Spectrum IVSP over a 2-year period at a large academic medical center.
Methods:
A retrospective study of IVSP alarms was performed for all inpatient areas at a US academic medical center. Alarm events and infusion starts were extracted using the Care Everywhere analytics platform and aggregated by frequency of alarms, number of infusions, alarm type, and care area. Analyses were done using descriptive statistics.
Results:
A total of 5,129,505 alarms were linked to 1,102,303 infusion starts (mean = 4.65 alarms per infusion). Four alarm categories accounted for 86.5% of events: downstream occlusion (42.5%), air-in-line (15.5%), infusion complete (14.4%), and upstream occlusion (14.1%). Although they accounted for only 6% of total infusion starts, the NICU, pediatrics, and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) had the highest alarm rates, averaging 28.6, 9.0, and 7.7 alarms per infusion, respectively. Downstream occlusion rates peaked in Pediatrics (696/100 starts) and PICU (536/100), while upstream occlusions were highest in the NICU (337/100). Air-in-line alarms were greatest in Oncology (103/100).
Conclusion:
Downstream occlusion, air-in-line, infusion-complete, and upstream occlusion alarms dominated the 2 years of alarm data, generating the majority of the 5 million IVSP alarms. Although adult medical-surgical (Med/Surg) and critical care generated the most alarms overall, pediatric and neonatal areas experienced the highest number of alarms per infusion, placing them at the greatest risk for alarm fatigue.
Related Concept Videos
Errors occurring during blood pressure monitoring
Several factors...
Pulse rhythm
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac muscle...
Equipments Used To Measure Blood Pressure
This invasive approach involves cannulating a peripheral artery. During each cardiac contraction, pressure generates mechanical motion within the catheter, transmitted through rigid, fluid-filled tubing to a transducer. This transducer converts mechanical motion into electrical signals displayed as waveforms on a monitor. An automatic flushing system prevents blood backflow. Due to the potential risk of unexpected arterial blood loss, this method is primarily used in intensive...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Intermittent IV Infusions
Drug Accumulation During Multiple Dosing: Repetitive IV Injections
