Effectiveness of application of a manual for improvement of alarms management by nurses in Intensive Care Units.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of application of a manual on the improvement of alarms management in Intensive Care Units (ICU). METHODS: This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of the introduction into of a manual for alarm management and control in the ICU of a hospital in southeastern Iran. The intervention was a 4-hour workshop was on topics related to the adverse effects of alarms, standardization of ECG, oxygen saturation and blood pressure monitoring systems, and the use of ventilators and infusion pumps. Data were collected thorough 200 hours of observation of 60 ICU nurses (100 hours' pre-intervention and 100 hours' post-intervention). Response time, type of response, customization of alarm settings for each patient, the person responding to an alarm, and the cause of the alarm were analyzed. Alarms were classified into three types: false, true and technical. RESULTS: The results showed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-intervention frequency of alarm types, frequency of monitoring parameters, customized monitoring settings for patients, and individuals who responded to alarms. The percentage of effective interventions was significantly higher for all parameters after the intervention (46.9%) than before the intervention (38.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The employment of a manual for management of alarms from electronic equipment in ICUs can increase the frequency of appropriate responses to alarms in these units.

Effectiveness of application of a manual for improvement of alarms management by nurses in Intensive Care Units / Efectividad de la aplicación de un manual para la gestión de alarmas en enfermeros de Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos / Eficácia da aplicação de manual para gerenciamento de alarmes em enfermeiros de Unidades de Terapia Intensiva

Objective. To evaluate the effects of application of a manual on the improvement of alarms management in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Methods. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of the introduction into of a manual for alarm management and control in the ICU of a hospital in southeastern Iran. The intervention was a 4-hour workshop was on topics related to the adverse effects of alarms, standardization of ECG, oxygen saturation and blood pressure monitoring systems, and the use of ventilators and infusion pumps. Data were collected thorough 200 hours of observation of 60 ICU nurses (100 hours' pre-intervention and 100 hours' post-intervention). Response time, type of response, customization of alarm settings for each patient, the person responding to an alarm, and the cause of the alarm were analyzed. Alarms were classified into three types: false, true and technical. Results. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-intervention frequency of alarm types, frequency of monitoring parameters, customized monitoring settings for patients, and individuals who responded to alarms. The percentage of effective interventions was significantly higher for all parameters after the intervention (46.9%) than before the intervention (38.9%). Conclusion. The employment of a manual for management of alarms from electronic equipment in ICUs can increase the frequency of appropriate responses to alarms in these units.

Objetivo. Evaluar los efectos de la aplicación de un manual en el mejoramiento de la gestión de las alarmas en enfermeros las Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos -UCI-. Métodos. Estudio cuasi- experimental en el que se evaluó la efectividad de la introducción de un manual en la práctica para la prevención y el control de alarmas en una UCI de un hospital del sudeste de Irán. Se realizó un taller de 4 horas de duración que incluía temas relacionados con los efectos adversos de las alarmas, la estandarización en los sistemas de monitoreo de ECG, saturación de oxígeno y presión arterial, y del uso de ventiladores y de bombas de infusión. Se realizaron 200 horas de observación a 60 enfermeras de la UCI (100 horas antes y 100 horas después de la intervención). Se analizó el tiempo de respuesta, el tipo de respuesta, la personalización de los ajustes de la alarma para cada paciente, la persona que responde a una alarma y la causa de la alarma. Las alarmas se clasificaron en tres tipos: falsas, verdaderas y técnicas. Resultados. Los hallazgos mostraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre la frecuencia de los tipos de alarma antes y después de la intervención, la frecuencia de los parámetros de monitorización, los ajustes de monitorización personalizados para los pacientes y las personas que responden a las alarmas. El porcentaje de intervenciones efectivas para el total de parámetros fue significativamente mayor después de la intervención (46.9%) que antes de la misma (38.9%). Conclusión. Los resultados del estudio muestran que el empleo del manual para la gestión de las alarmas de los equipos electrónicos en una UCI puede aumentar la frecuencia de respuestas adecuadas de los enfermeros de estos servicios.

Objetivo. Avaliar os efeitos da aplicação de um manual na melhoria do gerenciamento de alarmes em enfermeiros de Unidades de Terapia Intensiva -UTI-. Métodos. Estudo quase-experimental no qual foi avaliada a eficácia da introdução na prática de um manual para prevenção e controle de alarmes em uma UTI de hospital no sudeste do Irã. Foi realizado um workshop de 4 horas que incluiu tópicos relacionados aos efeitos adversos dos alarmes, padronização dos sistemas de monitoração de ECG, saturação de oxigênio e pressão arterial e uso de ventiladores e bombas de infusão. Foram realizadas 200 horas de observação em 60 enfermeiras de UTI (100 horas antes e 100 horas após a intervenção). O tempo de resposta, o tipo de resposta, a personalização das configurações de alarme para cada paciente, a pessoa que responde a um alarme e a causa do alarme foram analisados. Os alarmes foram classificados em três tipos: falso, verdadeiro e técnico. Resultados. Os resultados mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre a frequência dos tipos de alarme antes e depois da intervenção, a frequência dos parâmetros de monitoração, configurações de monitoração personalizadas para pacientes e pessoas que respondem aos alarmes. O percentual de intervenções eficazes para todos os parâmetros foi significativamente maior após a intervenção (46,9%) do que antes (38,9%). Conclusão. Os resultados do estudo mostram que a utilização do manual para gerenciamento de alarmes de equipamentos eletrônicos em UTIs pode aumentar a frequência de respostas adequadas aos alarmes nos enfermeiros desses serviços.

A nurses' alarm fatigue questionnaire: development and psychometric properties.

Alarm fatigue can adversely affect nurses' efficiency and concentration on their tasks, which is a threat to patients' safety. The purpose of the present study was to develop and test the psychometric accuracy of an alarm fatigue questionnaire for nurses. This study was conducted in two stages: in stage one, in order to establish the different aspects of the concept of alarm fatigue, the researchers reviewed the available literature-articles and books-on alarm fatigue, and then consulted several experts in a meeting to define alarm fatigue and develop statements for the questionnaire. In stage two, after the final draft had been approved, the validity of the instrument was measured using the two methods of face validity (the quantitative and qualitative approaches) and content validity (the qualitative and quantitative approaches). Test-retest, Cronbach's alpha, and Principal Component Analysis were used for item reduction and reliability analysis. Based on the results of stage one, the researchers extracted 30 statements based on a 5-point Likert scale. In stage two, after the face and content validity of the questionnaire had been established, 19 statements were left in the instrument. Based on factor loadings of the items and "alpha if item deleted" and after the second round of consultation with the expert panel, six items were removed from the scale. The test of the reliability of nurses' alarm fatigue questionnaire based on the internal homogeneity and retest methods yielded the following results: test-retest correlation coefficient = 0.99; Guttman split-half correlation coefficient = 0.79; Cronbach's alpha = 0.91. Regarding the importance of recognizing alarm fatigue in nurses, there is need for an instrument to measure the phenomenon. The results of the study show that the developed questionnaire is valid and reliable enough for measuring alarm fatigue in nurses.