Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this study was to explore the process of how nurses experienced and dealt
with alarm fatigue in intensive care units based on Iranian nurses' perceptions and
experiences.
Background
Alarm fatigue is the overstimulation of senses due to the constant ringing of alarms
in intensive care units. It is associated with nurses’ desensitization to critical
alarms that can directly influence patient safety and quality of care.
Methods
A qualitative exploratory study using the grounded theory approach by Strauss and
Corbin was carried out. Participants were 20 nurses working in intensive care units.
The sampling process was started purposively and continued theoretically. Data were
collected using semi-structured, in-depth, and individual interviews and continued
to data saturation. The constant comparative analysis approach was used consisting
of the following steps: open coding, developing concepts, analysing the context, entering
the process into data analysis, integrating categories.
Findings
The participants' main concern in the exposure to alarm fatigue was ‘threat to personal
balance’. The core category in this research was ‘trying to create a holistic balance’,
which reflected a set of strategies that the nurses consistently and continuously
used to deal with alarm fatigue and consisted of four main categories as follows:
‘smart care’, ‘deliberate balancing’, ‘conditional prioritisation’, and ‘negligent
performance’. Threat to personal balance was strengthened by ‘inappropriate circuit
of individual roles’, ‘distortion of the organisational structure’, and ‘insecurity
of the infrastructure’. The consequences of this process was harm to the patient,
burnout among nurse, and damage to the healthcare organisation.
Conclusions
The research findings have practical implications for healthcare management, policymaking,
nursing education, research, and clinical practice. Mitigating staff shortages, improving
staff competencies, enhancing nurses’ authority for responding to alarms, modifying
care routines, improving the physical environment, and removing problems related to
alarm equipment can prevent alarm fatigue and its unappropriated consequences.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: February 01, 2023
Accepted:
December 2,
2022
Received in revised form:
November 30,
2022
Received:
September 10,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
