Impact of Alarm Management Training on Adult ICU Nurses' Knowledge, Behaviour, and Fatigue: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE

Teaching effective alarm management behaviours to intensive care nurses and preventing alarm fatigue is essential for patient safety. In this context, demonstrating the effectiveness of training activities for nurses on effective alarm management can significantly contribute to ensuring patient safety. However, studies demonstrating the effectiveness of alarm management training activities are limited. Therefore, there is an emerging need to examine the effects of training interventions that can help nurses gain effective alarm management behaviours. The study aimed to assess the effect of alarm management training on the knowledge, behaviours and fatigue levels of ICU nurses.

METHODS

This is a pretest- posttest, single-group, quasi-experimental study. The sample size was 19 nurses from two ICUs in a state hospital. Data were collected between 1 November 2021 and 20 March 2022 with the "Nurse Information Form," "Monitor Alarms Management Monitoring Form," "Monitor Alarm Management Knowledge Test," and "Alarm Fatigue Scale." Monitor alarm management training was given by presentation, case studies and reminder cards. The researcher monitored 322 alarms in the pretest and 199 in the posttest.

RESULTS

At post- training, nurses' alarm response times (p = 0.008) and crisis alarms (p = 0.032) decreased statistically significantly compared to the pre-training. Post-training, nurses' customization of alarm ranges based on patients' clinical condition (p = 0.001) and performing skin cleaning (p = 0.001) increased statistically significantly compared to pre-training. The inappropriate behaviour of "silencing and muting the alarm" was never exhibited post-training. "No response to the alarm" behaviour decreased statistically significantly, and the rate of effective alarm management behaviours increased statistically significantly (p = 0.016). Nurses' monitor alarm management knowledge increased significantly (p < 0.001), while alarm fatigue scores decreased statistically significantly at posttest (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The alarm management training intervention was significantly increased nurses' knowledge regarding effective alarm management, improved their behaviours and alarm fatigue scores, and patients' monitor alarm outputs. In conclusion, it can be suggested that training activities be focused on to teach intensive care nurses effective alarm management behaviours and reduce their alarm fatigue.