Stop the Noise: A Quality Improvement Project to Decrease Electrocardiographic Nuisance Alarms

BACKGROUND As many as 99% of alarm signals may not need any intervention and can result in patients’ deaths. Alarm management is now a Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal. OBJECTIVES To reduce the number of nuisance electrocardiographic alarm signals in adult patients on the medical cardiovascular care unit. METHODS A quality improvement process was used that included eliminating duplicative alarms, customizing alarms, changing electrocardiography electrodes daily, standardizing skin preparation, and using disposable electrocardiography leads. RESULTS In the cardiovascular care unit, the mean number of electrocardiographic alarm signals per day decreased from 28.5 (baseline) to 3.29, an 88.5% reduction. CONCLUSION Use of a bundled approach to managing alarm signals decreased the mean number of alarm signals in a cardiovascular care unit. (Critical Care Nurse. 2015;35[4]:15-23)