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Keywords
emergency alarms
Disciplines
Nursing
Description
Staff emergency alarms are imperative on a unit because they indicate the need for staff to immediately report to the needed room. Some emergencies can indicate a fall, a code, or a security threat. They are different than normal call lights in the way that they sound. The sound a staff emergency alarm produces is very loud and repetitive until more help can come to the situation. These alarms come to every phone logged into the unit so that even if you are on the opposite side of a unit, you know that there is a situation where staff is needed. Our floor is a “neurology” based floor where most of our patients are confused and may not be able to read or follow simple commands. With this, has come with an increase in false staff emergency alarms because patients may find this button on the wall and feel confused on what to do. Though this is true, we have found that even family members and staff members have frequently pressed the staff emergency alarm by mistake and creating false panic. This has created significant burnout between the staff, resulting in less staff coming to emergency alarms due to suspicion that it is fake. Our project is to simply put yellow sticky notes above the communication board in the rooms that read “STAFF ONLY”. The hope of this project was for patients, family members, and even staff members to take an extra moment before hitting the wrong button. In turn, the unit would experience less false emergency alarms so that nurses did not feel burnout when it comes to true emergencies.
Publication Date
5-2025
Recommended Citation
Doty E, Tarnutzer E, Taylor. A reducing false staff emergency alarms in a progressive care unit. Presented at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital; 2025 May 6-12; Royal Oak, MI.
Comments
Nurses Week at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, May 6-12, 2025.