It’s a problem so prevalent yet so subtle that it’s taken
FDA involvement to bring it to the attention of the medical profession. They’re
calling it “alarm fatigue,” and it refers to that endless beeping, buzzing, and
blaring that patients, visitors, and medical staff are subject to throughout
the day in hospitals. As detailed in this article,
too many alarms going off can be the same as none going off – it’s impossible
to decipher which ones are critically important, and which ones aren’t. Nurses
and doctors alike are becoming desensitized to those very noises that are
supposed to signal emergencies, as they all fade into background noise.
The FDA’s proposed solution is to enact a review process to
ensure that new products do not beep or make other noises needlessly, hopefully
clearing the airwaves a bit to return sounds that are actually important to
their proper significance. They’re also looking into smarter ways of monitoring
physiological signs, to use a combination of factors and readings to provide
more accurate alarm events. Here at Devar, we’re dedicated to accurate and
customizable alarms and monitors as well, for the medical industry and for
others like wastewater and humidity. The ability to calibrate and set readings
and critical events means that alarms will only go off when they need to,
letting you know when your attention is really needed. For more information,
contact us today!
