From Research to Practice: A Collaborative Approach to Tackling Alarm Fatigue in ICUs

Alarm fatigue describes the desensitization, reduced alarm response, and negative emotions experienced by ICU nurses due to the excessive number of alarms generated by patient monitoring systems. Although alarms are intended to prompt action, high numbers of non-actionable alarms undermine nurse responsiveness and pose risks to patient safety. This study builds on previous research of the authors exploring the characteristics of ICU nurses as users of the system, system features of patient monitors, and alarm load across different ICU types. In this study, we synthesized previous findings into research insights. We conducted a multi-disciplinary workshop using a sound-driven design approach with diverse stakeholders, including ICU nurses, doctors, industry experts, designers, and researchers. Previous research insights were used to stimulate discussion and develop design directions aimed at mitigating alarm fatigue and supporting ICU nurse needs. The outcomes of this workshop produced actionable solution bundles that consolidate previous insights and introduce novel approaches, offering a holistic and collaborative perspective to mitigating alarm fatigue.