Evaluation of alarm fatigue among intensive care unit nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Alarm fatigue is a state of nurses’ desensitization to the sounds of equipment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which can affect the quality of nursing care over time. The present study explored alarm fatigue among intensive care unit nurses during the Coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Method This exploratory study was conducted on 218 intensive care unit nurses in Ardabil city (northwest of Iran). The participants were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form, nurses’ alarm fatigue questionnaire, and characteristics of the alarms checklist. SPSS (Version 22) software was used for data analysis. Results The mean alarm fatigue score of intensive care unit nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak was at a moderate level (22.89 ± 7.69). Multiple linear regression showed that work experience (B = 0.223, p = 0.032), workplace (B = -0.238, p < 0.001), ward dimensions (B = -0.259, p < 0.001), response time (B = -0.522, p < 0.001), and management of alarms (B = 0.119, p < 0.022) were significant predictors of alarm fatigue, which accounted for 51% of the variance of the final model. Conclusion Considering the predictive role of some background variables and the characteristics of the alarms caused by the equipment connected to the intensive care unit patients, it is better to adopt strategies to modernize the intensive care unit equipment and increase the practical courses on working with the equipment to properly manage the alarms and reduce the response time to alarms.