Nurses’ clinical alarm-related behaviors and influencing factors in China

摘要

Objective:To explore the nurses’behaviors regarding clinical alarms,analyze the related influencing factors,and provide rationales for alarm management.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China.The self-made questionnaire of nurses’clinical alarm-related knowledge,attitude,and behavior(NCAKAB)was used.Results:The valid response rate was 98.66%(n=2368).The average nurses’clinical alarm-related behaviors(NCAB)score was 65.14±7.95(out of 85).The dimension scores of NCAB from high to low were alarm learning(4.02±0.85,out of 5),alarm response(27.99±3.64,out of 35),alarm setting(19.24±3.88,out of 25),alarm recognition(7.63±1.68,out of 10)and alarm notification(6.25±1.84,out of 10).There were significant differences in alarm behavior scores between nurses of different ages(F=4.619,P=0.000),nursing stints(F=9.564,P=0.000),professional titles(F=4.425,P=0.004),departments(F=9.166,P=0.000),and hospital levels(t=2.705,P=0.007).The study showed that nurses’total alarm behavior scores were positively correlated with the total alarm knowledge score(r=0.267;P<0.001)and the total alarm attitude score(r=438;P<0.001).Conclusions:Nurses scored highest in alarm learning,followed by alarm response,alarm setting,alarm recognition,and alarm notification behavior.The factors that influenced alarm behavior included age,title,department,nursing stint,hospital level,professional title,alarm-related training,willingness to participate in alarm-related training,whether or not departments have improved alarm management over the last 3 years,and whether or not departments have formulated norms for alarm management.Nurses with higher scores for clinical alarm knowledge had higher correlating scores for alarm behavior;similarly,nurses with higher scores for clinical alarm attitude had higher scores for alarm-related behavior.