The relationship between alarm fatigue and burnout among critical care nurses: A cross-sectional study

Shenglan Ding; Xiuhua Huang; Rong Sun; Lili Yang; Xiaorong Yang; Xue Li; Jianhua Liu; Hui Yang; Hong Zhou; Xiaoming Huang; Fenghua Su; Lingzhi Shu; Xingli Zheng; Xin Wang

doi:10.1111/nicc.12899

The relationship between alarm fatigue and burnout among critical care nurses: A cross-sectional study

Nurs Crit Care. 2023 Nov;28(6):940-947. doi: 10.1111/nicc.12899. Epub 2023 Apr 18.

Authors

Shenglan Ding¹, Xiuhua Huang², Rong Sun³, Lili Yang², Xiaorong Yang⁴, Xue Li², Jianhua Liu³, Hui Yang¹, Hong Zhou⁵, Xiaoming Huang⁶, Fenghua Su⁷, Lingzhi Shu⁸, Xingli Zheng¹, Xin Wang⁹

Affiliations

¹ Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
² Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
³ Adult Intensive Care Unit, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁴ Department of Rehabilitation, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁵ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
⁶ Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University/West China Women's and Children's Hospital, Chengdu, China.
⁷ Intensive Care Unit 1, Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
⁸ Intensive Care Unit, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University.
⁹ Department of Nursing, Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.

PMID: 37070292
DOI: 10.1111/nicc.12899

Abstract

Background: Alarm fatigue has significant negative impacts on nurses and patient safety. However, the relationship between alarm fatigue and burnout is still unclear.

Aims: This study aimed to explore the relationship between alarm fatigue and burnout among critical care nurses.

Study design: A descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected from five hospitals in mainland China between January 2022 and March 2022. A general information questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Intensive Care Unit Nurse Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire, and the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory were used.

Results: A total of 236 critical care nurses were enrolled in this study. The mean score of alarm fatigue among critical care nurses was 21.11 ± 6.83. The results showed that critical care nurses experienced moderate alarm fatigue levels, and most nurses had moderate to high levels of burnout. The multiple linear regression analyses showed that alarm fatigue was independently associated with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization dimensions, and reduced personal accomplishment dimension.

Conclusions: Alarm fatigue was associated with burnout among critical care nurses. Reducing critical care nurses' alarm fatigue may help to alleviate burnout.

Relevance to clinical practice: Managers should provide comprehensive training for nurses and promote the application of artificial intelligence technology in alarm management to reduce alarm fatigue and improve burnout among critical care nurses.

Keywords: alarm fatigue; burnout; intensive care unit (ICU); nurse.

MeSH terms

Artificial Intelligence
Burnout, Professional* / psychology
Clinical Alarms*
Critical Care
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Nurses*
Surveys and Questionnaires

Associated data

ChiCTR/ChiCTR2100054433