Purpose This study was done to explore the meaning of the intensive care unit (ICU) nurse’s alarm reaction and identify essential structure of the reaction experience.
Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 intensive care unit nurses working in higher general hospital. Data collection and analysis were conducted simultaneously by applying Giorgi's phenomenological method.
Results: The ICU nurse’s alarm reaction was shown to be in a dynamic structure to recognize and respond to alarms. Medical device alarms were recognized through alarm sounds and the importance of alarms was determined through previous experience of alarms and whether alarms were true or false. The problem solving ability to manipulate the alarm devices increased with reaction to alarms, and the nurses showed flexibility to individualize alarm settings according to patients’ situations, or respond to alarms according to priority considering the degree of emergency of alarms. In addition, nurses resolved alarms while feeling a sense of mutual responsibility among colleagues in emergency situations.
Conclusion: The essential structure of ICU nurses’ alarm reaction revealed through this study was the recognition of and reaction to alarms, and the major characteristics explaining this structure were sensitivity, judgment, problem solving ability, flexibility, and mutual responsibility.
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Degree of Alarm Fatigue and Mental Workload of Hospital Nurses in Intensive Care Units Yoonhee Seok, Yoomi Cho, Nayoung Kim, Eunyoung E. Suh Nursing Reports.2023; 13(3): 946. CrossRef
PURPOSE This study was done to develop a schematized alarm-managing manual for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and to investigate its effects in maintaining continuity in the patients' treatment and promptly resolving alarms when CRRT is being carried out. METHODS Sixtynurses from two medical intensive care units (ICUs) (one experimental and one control) at one hospital were asked to answer a questionnaire including their CRRT nursing competency and satisfaction with the manual. Data on alarm resolution rate were collected by analyzing existing data, such as the details of each alarm and the number of resolutions around the clock in the CRRT device. RESULTS The alarm resolution rate and some of CRRT nursing competency scores in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group. The experimental group was also satisfied with the manual. CONCLUSION The study confirmed that the schematized alarm-managing manual can be useful for ICU nurses to resolve alarms and can be used as a guideline. Application of this manual to clinical practices and its use can therefore, be encouraged through continuous educationand promotion.
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Citations to this article as recorded by
Development and Evaluation of Evidence-Based Nursing Protocol for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation to Critically Ill Patients Soomi Kim, Chul-Gyu Kim Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2023; 53(3): 275. CrossRef
Intensive Care Unit Nurse's Reaction Experience to Patient Monitoring Medical Device Alarms Eunjin Kim, Miyoung Kim Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration.2021; 27(3): 215. CrossRef
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