Abstract
Technology in the neonatal intensive care has allowed for many advancements in the care and treatment of critically ill infants. Unfortunately, this technology can also be associated with a staggering number of audible alarms. These frequent alarms can lead to non-therapeutic NICU environments, staff fatigue and increased morbidity and mortality for these fragile patients.|Educating staff on sources of alarm fatigue and reduction techniques along with providing visual reminders of appropriate cardiorespiratory and pulse oximetry parameters, the number of audible alarms can be significantly reduced. When the number of alarms is reduced in the NICU, critical alarms can be isolated and responded to quickly and effectively. Fewer alarms lead to reduced alarm fatigue for staff and visitors and improves safety for NICU patients.|For this project, data was collected at a 63-bed level IV NICU in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Staff was provided education via PowerPoint presentation on alarm fatigue along with alarm reduction tip sheets at all bedsides to help in reducing nonactionable cardiorespiratory and pulse oximetry alarms. Baseline and post-implementation data included number of audible alarms observed in NICU pods along with accuracy of alarm parameters on all patients within that pod.
Prior to staff education, there were 3.15 alarms/patient/hour with alarm parameter accuracy of 65%. Post implementation there were 0.67 alarms/patient/hour with alarm parameter accuracy of 93%. This reduction demonstrated that staff education and bedside tools can reduce alarm fatigue and increase patient safety in the NICU.