Impact of an Alarm Management Protocol on Noise Pollution and Patient Safety in Intensive Care Units

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

alarm management left to the discretion of the nurse: alarm management left to the discretion of the nurse in charge of the patient

restrictive alarm use strategy: more restrictive protocol for the use of alarms

Study summary

Resuscitation patients are monitored for various physiological parameters. When these parameters exceed abnormal thresholds, an audible alarm is triggered. Given the complexity of physiological situations and the number of monitored parameters, the number of alarms within an intensive care unit is significant. In the literature, the number ranges from 100 to 350 alarms per patient per day. Among these alarms, 74 to 99% are deemed irrelevant as they provide false or insignificant information. This study will enable to assess the efficacy of a restrictive protocol for managing alarms as a means of rationalizing their use.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• efficiency criterion: the number of alarms per patient per day — 1 month
  An efficiency criterion: the number of alarms per patient per day
• A safety criterion: the length of time patients have potentially dangerous heart rate, blood pressure or oxygen saturation values — 1 month
  A safety criterion: the length of time patients have potentially dangerous heart rate, blood pressure or oxygen saturation values.

Trial sites (1)

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