Assessment of Alarm Fatigue Risk Among Oncology Nurses in Jordan

Abstract

Introduction Using technology in the clinical setting where clinical alarms frequently occur, resulting in many false alarms, which is called alarm fatigue, alarm fatigue may increase nurses’ distraction, and that might negatively affect patient safety. Objective This study aimed to assess alarm fatigue among oncology nurses in Jordan. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional design was used in a non-profit specialized cancer center. A self-reported questionnaire was answered by nurses who participated in the study. Results A total of 222 questionnaires were analyzed with a more than 95% response rate. More than half of the sample (60.4%) were females. The participants were young nurses with a mean age of 25.18 ± 3.33 years. The total mean score of alarm fatigue was 31.62 ± 7.14 on a scale ranging from zero to 52. Post-hoc analysis showed that the palliative unit (25.73 ± 7.22) and emergency room (28.73 ± 6.62) had low scores of total mean alarm fatigue than remaining area of practice, such as the ICU (33.92 ± 6.99); p-value: .004. Conclusion Alarm fatigue is a global issue affecting many practice areas. An educational program is recommended for nurses to learn how to deal with alarm fatigue. In order to effectively manage alarms, nurses’ education and individual training are crucial.