Alarmermüdung

Alarmermüdung, also known as alarm fatigue or alert fatigue, is a phenomenon that occurs when individuals are repeatedly exposed to alarms or alerts. This overexposure can lead to a decreased sensitivity or responsiveness to subsequent alarms, even those that are critical. The concept is most commonly discussed in healthcare settings, where medical equipment such as patient monitors, infusion pumps, and ventilators generate a high volume of alarms.

When alarms are frequent, particularly if many are false or non-actionable, healthcare professionals may begin to ignore them or become slower to react. This desensitization is a natural human response to overwhelming stimuli, similar to how one might stop noticing a constantly ticking clock. However, in critical environments, the consequences of missing or delaying a response to a real alarm can be severe, potentially leading to adverse patient outcomes.

Factors contributing to alarmermüdung include the sheer number of alarms, the lack of clear protocols for responding to different types of alarms, and the design of alarm systems that may not differentiate effectively between urgent and non-urgent events. Strategies to combat alarmermüdung focus on reducing unnecessary alarms, improving alarm intelligibility, and educating staff on proper alarm management and response. This includes fine-tuning alarm parameters, implementing alarm suppression techniques during procedures, and providing training to ensure that personnel can quickly and accurately assess and respond to all alerts.