Alarm Fatigue Research Paper

Words: 1896
Pages: 8

Abstract
Alarm fatigue has become a hot topic of discussion in the healthcare field. The subject matter is an ever-increasing problem as patient safety is at stake and warrants further research. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the nursing phenomena of alarm fatigue to increase awareness and develop methods to help eliminate the problem and improve patient outcomes. The concept of alarm fatigue will be analyzed using an eight-step method from Walker and Avant (2011) that is widely referenced in literature. The eight steps are as follows: “1. Concept selection, 2. The aims or purpose of analysis, 3. All of the uses of the concept, 4. Defining attributes, 5. Construct a model case, 6. Construct borderline, related, contrary, invented, and illegitimate cases, 7. Identifying antecedents and consequences, and 8. Define empirical referents” (Walker and Avant, 2011, p. 160). The purpose of this concept analysis of alarm fatigue is to aid in the development of nursing strategies and policies to resolve the current issue in hospitals.
Keywords: alarm fatigue, concept analysis, patient safety, nursing, Walker and Avant
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In healthcare, nurses are exposed to excessive alarms including telemetry, ventilators, bed alarms, and call bells. Other more particular alarms specific to cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) include continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) alarms, Impella alarms, and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) alarms. The constant alarms that are heard by nurses during the course of their shift can be overwhelming, which can create an environment of desensitization (Harris, Manavizadeh, McPherson, & Smith, 2011). Nurses “do not hear” the alarms and they assume it is a nonactionable alarm or that another nurse will respond to the alarm (Harris et al.,