Worksheet for Alarm Safety Learning Activity

Alarm Safety
Instruction options:
1. Post conference. Using alarm sounds recorded by your instructor, fill in the chart below. On the
chart below, record the date, time, location, type of alarm, interpretation of the alarm and action
taken by a clinicians, related to the alarm. Complete a 250-500 word LEARN reflection.
2. Field trip (instructors please make sure it is ok to walk through other units if you choose this
option). As a group, led by your instructor, walk through several hospital units until you fill the
chart. On the chart below, record the date, time, location, type of alarm, interpretation of the alarm
and proposed action taken by a clinician, related to the alarm. Complete a 250-500 word LEARN
reflection.
3. Students complete the exercise independently: Complete the following while you are at clinical
this week. On the chart below, record the date, time, location, type of alarm, interpretation of the
alarm and action taken, by you or other clinicians, related to the alarm. Complete a 250-500 word
LEARN reflection.
Definitions:
Alarm: A signal that utilizes an auditory or visual cue to warn or alert.
Clinical Alarm: Notification from a device that is used to diagnose, treat, or monitor a patient. The clinical
environment also includes alarms that are not directly patient centered (Phillips, J., 2006).
Examples of Alarm Types:
Patient-centered: IV pump, feeding pump, pulse oximeter, telemetry, ventilators, nurse call lights, bar
coded medication delivery system, bed alarms, etc..
Non-patient centered: cell phones, pneumatic tube system, pagers, fire alarm, etc.
Date/ Time

9-8-15
0800

9-8-15
1030

Location of
Alarm
Where did you
hear and/or see
the alarm?

6H Room
22

Heard over
the PA for
another unit

Alarm Type
Name the device
that alarmed.

Bed Alarm

Code Blue

Interpretation:
What caused the
alarm to activate?

Patient tried to
get out of bed
causing alarm to
go off.

A patient needed
to be revived.

Action:
Who responded to the
alarm?
What was the intervention
taken by the responder?

I responded along
with the NT.
We took patient to the
bathroom and
explained to press call
button and well assist
in getting out of bed
next time for safety.
All code medical staff
respond (Dr, RT,
Nurses, Interns, etc.).
They will do all
measures necessary to
save the patients life
with CPR, shocking,
medications, etc.

Revised 9/2/2014.ls
Adapted from QSEN/ The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing Tammy Spencer, RN, MSN, Kathy Foss, RN, MSN

9-15-15
0900

6H Pyxis

9-22-15
0930

6H Room
12

9-22-15
1145

6H Room
30

9-29-15
1030

6H Room
25

9-29-15
0300

Heard over
PA for Peds
ED

An alert in the
Look
Pyxis over the
Alike/Sound
medication over
Alike Med
to alert nurses
that the
medication they
are pulling out
looks like or
sounds like
another
medication and
double check the
medication.
Bracelet a patient
Allergy Alert
wears to alert
Bracelet
staff they have an
allergy and to be
cautious of the
allergy.
A sign that hangs
No BP or
on the patients
Blood Draw on door to alert staff
Left Arm
that the patient
cant have BP or
blood draws taken
on the left arm.
A patient needs to
Bathroom Call
be helped out of
Light
the bathroom.

Code ADAM

I saw this sign while

pulling a medication
out of the Pyxis.
I pulled the
medication out and
double check it with
the order to ensure the
medication I was
pulling out was the
correct medication
and dosage I needed
for the patient.

I saw the bracelet on

the patient during my
assessment.
I made sure I was
aware of the patients
allergies.
I saw this sign
hanging on a patients
door.
Other staff and I
make sure not to take
BP or blood draw on
the patients left arm.
The NT and I
responded to the
bathroom call light.
The NT helped the
patient get cleaned up
and back to bed.
A minor child has All hospital staff
gone missing
responded.
within the
A description of the
hospital.
child was given and
all available staff
stood at all doors and
stairwells to keep
child from moving
through hospital and
other staff searched
areas of the hospital
for the child.

Revised 9/2/2014.ls
Adapted from QSEN/ The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing Tammy Spencer, RN, MSN, Kathy Foss, RN, MSN

10-6-15
0730

6H Cerner

STAT
Medication

An alert in Cerner
that a medication
needs to be given
right away.

I saw this alert on my

patients chart in
Cerner.
After seeing the alert,
I checked to see what
medication needed to
be administered then
found my nurse to
pass the medication
with her after she
reviewed it.

Reflection
The alarm safety experience was not anything unusual for me but still a good
experience for me. I personally think that everyone else felt the same way. Most of us
student nurses have experience in the medical field and we have been in the hospitals for
the past two years in clinical so we have been seeing these alarms since the beginning.
The only alarm I had not been a part of before thought was the Code ADAM. I was
curious as to what the situation was and felt worried for the child missing and the family.
Fortunately, the child was found safe and returned back to the ED unharmed. I feel there
are regulations associated with alarm recognition in order to protect our patients and
provide the best possible care for them. If we did not have these regulations in place and
every staff educated on each one and following them properly, then our patient care could
fall short of excellent. I know there are areas where we do not respond to call lights as
fast as we should, but I know all units are working on that and striving to respond to our
patients within seconds. This not only help patient safety but also shows the patients we
are and they are not only a bed number to us. I need to become more education on the
protocol of some of the codes the hospital has but when it comes to me responding to an
alarm, I do not think I need to change my practice. I do not walk pass a room with a call
light on, I go in and help the patient whether they are my patient or not. I am cautious of
visual alarms are very observant at all the alarm and alert signs. When it comes to a new
trial, I will make sure I am educated on all the codes so that I can be prepared to help and
respond effectively. Also, I will push myself to respond to call lights and alarms even
faster and continue to be alert on the visual alarms.
Grading rubric
L
E

Look back at the alarm safety experience (not

written)
Elaborate and describe, in writing, what
happened during the experience. How did you
feel and how do you think others felt? Were
you surprised by what happened during the
experience or did it turnout as expected?
Analyze the outcome. Why do you feel there

Points Pass
/0
Reflection
is on time.
All
/20
reflective
aspects are
addressed
for each
section
/40

Fail
Late or no
reflection
(10 points
per day
late).
Missing a
majority of
the

Revised 9/2/2014.ls
Adapted from QSEN/ The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing Tammy Spencer, RN, MSN, Kathy Foss, RN, MSN

are regulations associated with alarm

recognition? This is an opportunity to really
question your assumptions: ask yourself what
this experience reveals about what regulators
(i.e. the Joint Commission) value.
R Revise your approach based on your review of /20
the event and decide how, or if, you will
change your practice.
N New trial. Put your new approach into action:
/20
create (in writing) a situation where you might
try your new approach.
Communication deductions (i.e. spelling/grammar/writing mechanics)

reflective
aspects of
the section

> 2 errors
-26%

Revised 9/2/2014.ls
Adapted from QSEN/ The University of Colorado Denver College of Nursing Tammy Spencer, RN, MSN, Kathy Foss, RN, MSN