Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing Burden of Transient Noncritical Monitor Alarms in a Trauma Resuscitation Unit

摘要

After institutional review board approval, we conducted a retrospective review of the status and category of all vital sign monitor alarms from the trauma resuscitation unit (TRU) of our level 1 trauma center over a 12-month period (January to December 2009). Archived monitor alarm data were collected using BedMasterEX? software (Excel Medical Electronics FL) from the networked system of Solar? (General Electric, Fairfield, CT) vital sign monitors in the TRU. Alarms were grouped into 4 specific categories as defined by the manufacturer's patient data-recording configuration: (1) patient crisis, (2) patient warning, (3) patient advisory, and (4) system warning. Although patient advisory (eg, check adaptor) alarms sound only once, all other alarms sound continuously. System warning (eg, leads fail) and patient warning (eg, SpO_2 low) alarms sound continuously and silence when the issue is resolved. Patient crisis (eg, asystole) alarms sound continuously and must be acknowledged and silenced by the user.