Frequency and Duration of Infusion Pump Alarms: Establishing National Benchmarks.

Reduction of clinical alarms is a priority due to alarm fatigue and the high incidence of nonactionable alarms, especially those generated from physiological monitors. However, research on infusion pump alarm types and frequencies is limited. The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline for infusion pump alarm frequencies and duration in the hospital setting.

Perceptions of Infusion Pump Alarms: Insights Gained From Critical Care Nurses.

Between 1983 and 2011, equipment-related alarms in critical care have increased from 6 to 40 different alarm types. As nurses become overwhelmed, distracted, or desensitized by alarm noise, they may miss critical alarms that could result in patient harm. The findings of an infusion pump alarm survey indicated that nurses overwhelmingly agree that infusion pump nuisance alarms occur frequently and disrupt patient care.

Types and Frequency of Infusion Pump Alarms: Protocol for a Retrospective Data Analysis.

Background: The variety of alarms from all types of medical devices has increased from 6 to 40 in the last three decades, with today's most critically ill patients experiencing as many as 45 alarms per hour. Alarm fatigue has been identified as a critical safety issue for clinical staff that can lead to potentially dangerous delays or nonresponse to actionable alarms, resulting in serious patient injury and death. To date, most research on medical device alarms has focused on the nonactionable alarms of physiological monitoring devices.

A Simulation-Based Blended Curriculum for Short Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion: An Industry-Practice Collaboration.

Despite peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion being a commonly performed skill, practicing nurses may receive little substantive education, training, or opportunities to practice this skill at a competent level. This article describes a collaboration between private industry and a hospital to modify, implement, and evaluate a simulation-based blended PIVC insertion continuing education program for staff nurses. Included is an overview of the practical and theoretical rationale for the initial development of the curriculum to address an identified PIVC insertion education gap, the collaborative modification and implementation of the program, and an evaluation of the program.

Improving Nurses' Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion Knowledge, Confidence, and Skills Using a Simulation-Based Blended Learning Program: A Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion is one of the most common invasive procedures performed in a hospital, but most nurses receive little formal training in this area. Blended PIVC insertion training programs that incorporate deliberate simulated practice have the potential to improve clinical practice and patient care.

Methods: The study was a randomized, wait-list control group with crossover using nurses on three medical/surgical units.