The Effect of Implementing Clinical Alarm Nursing Intervention Program on Nurses' Knowledge, Practice and Patient Outcomes at Intensive Care Unit

Zeinab M. Shaban Aysha^1, and Safaa E. Sayed Ahmed¹

¹Critical Care Nursing, Assistant Professor of Critical Care Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Tanta University, Egypt

Cite this paper:
Zeinab M. Shaban Aysha and Safaa E. Sayed Ahmed. The Effect of Implementing Clinical Alarm Nursing Intervention Program on Nurses' Knowledge, Practice and Patient Outcomes at Intensive Care Unit. American Journal of Nursing Research. 2019; 7(5):824-835. doi: 10.12691/ajnr-7-5-16

Abstract

Clinical alarms of medical devices in intensive care units considered a health technology hazard and one of the most essential methods that warn the critical care nurses for immediate or potential threats facing critically ill patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of implementing clinical alarm interventional program on nurses' knowledge, practice, and patient outcomes at intensive care unit. A quasi-experimental research design was utilized in this study. The study was conducted at post-anesthetic, and emergency intensive care unit Tanta University and Emergency Hospital. All critical care nurses working in the unit (40) and provide direct care with for ventilated patients were included in the study. Also, a convenience sample of 40 adults, mechanically ventilated patients divided into 2 groups 20 patients in each. Four tools were used for data collection Tool I: A Structured Knowledge Questionnaire (pre-& posttest). Tool II: Clinical Alarm Management Observational Checklist. Tool III: Nurses Perceptions of Alarm Fatigue pre and post Intervention Program. Tool (IV): ''Patients assessment tool. The main results of this study revealed there were statistically significant differences between nurses' knowledge and practice categories indicating good knowledge and satisfactory practice after the intervention program, compared with poor knowledge and unsatisfactory practice level pre-intervention program where = (0.00). All nurses (100.0 %) agreed that they feel anxious due to clinical alarms compared to 50.0% of nurses who agreed on post-education. it was observed that 60% of patients in study group their weaning outcome were succeeded from the first attempt compared to 35% in control group. It was recommended that In-service training program should be conducted for nurses regarding alarm management and increase nurses' awareness of the presence of alarm fatigue.

Keywords:
alarm management nurses' knowledge nurses' performance patient outcome alarm fatigue

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