Cheryl is a nurse on a medical-surgical unit. During her shift, the patient in room 302’s intravenous (IV) smart pump alarmed for an obstruction in the line. Cheryl repositioned the patient’s arm and was checking the IV site for patency when her phone rang. The call was from a physician asking questions about a patient in room 303. She continued to check the IV site while answering the question. She started to leave the room when the IV pump began to alarm again and as she turned to go back in the room, another one of her patients turned their call light on. As she began working on the IV pump alarm, her phone rang again with an order for a stat medication for the patient in room 302. Cheryl adjusted the IV pump, answered the patient’s questions, and explained that she would return with the medication. In the medication room, Cheryl began removing medications when her phone rang. It was about the status of her patient in room 304. As Cheryl answered the questions and withdrew the medications, she suddenly realized that she could hear the IV pump alarm going off again as well as call light alerts. She forgot to answer the call light and couldn’t remember hearing the alert as she walked to the medication room.

1.

What is the significance of having multiple alarm interruptions on nursing care and patient safety?

2.

What can the nurse do to counteract alarm fatigue?

3.

Develop a plan for identifying alarm fatigue and strategies to counteract this problem.