Alarms in ICU : a study investigating how ICU nurses respond to alarm limits for patient safety.
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Date
2015
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Abstract
Introduction
There is a need to identify alarm management challenges in South African ICU units, to revise
and structure educational and training programmes to ensure ICU nurses utilise technological
resources for patient safety and to deliver quality patient care.
Aim
This research study is aimed to investigate the responses of ICU nurses to alarm limits in their
ICU environment for patient safety.
Research methods
This descriptive survey study was conducted with permanent and sessional ICU nurses at a
private healthcare institution in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. A quantitative design was used with a
structured questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The total of 120 ICU registered and
enrolled nurses were chosen as the sample population and a total of 91 questionnaires were
completed and returned.
Results
The results indicated that the challenges with alarm management experienced were related to
inadequate education and training on alarm management and the distraction of managing
frequent and numerous false alarms in the ICU facility contributed to delayed responses of the
ICU nurses to alarming limits.
Recommendations
Recommendations included reviewing the current content and methods of education and training
of alarm management and medical equipment that was done on a frequent basis.
Conclusion
Alarm specific training is required to keep ICU nurses updated with changes in technology so
that they are better equipped to ensure patient safety and quality of care.
Description
Master of Nursing in Critical Care and Trauma. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College 2015.
Keywords
Intensive care units -- South Africa., Monitor alarms (Medicine) -- South Africa., Intensive care units -- South Africa -- Nurses., Theses -- Nursing.