Jennifer Mansfield1, Steven Jarrett2. 1. Smart Pump Liaison, Carolinas HealthCare System , Charlotte, North Carolina. 2. Medication Safety Officer, Carolinas HealthCare System , Charlotte, North Carolina.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Alerts generated by intravenous (IV) infusion pump safety software prevent life-threatening situations that might otherwise go unnoticed. However, when alerts are often clinically insignificant, health care workers may become desensitized and discount their importance, resulting in potentially dangerous situations. Little research has been devoted to visual alert desensitization. METHOD: This paper describes how the Carolinas HealthCare System decreased the number of nonclinically relevant infusion pump alerts by analyzing alert data that were formatted into scatter plots. This in turn enabled the identification of the medications associated with the most meaningful alerts and those associated with the least meaningful alerts. CONCLUSION: By revising drug library limits for specific medications, it was possible to decrease the number of less clinically meaningful alerts, reduce alert fatigue, and thereby increase the effectiveness of the smart infusion pumps. This added another layer of safety to patient care.
BACKGROUND: Alerts generated by intravenous (IV) infusion pump safety software prevent life-threatening situations that might otherwise go unnoticed. However, when alerts are often clinically insignificant, health care workers may become desensitized and discount their importance, resulting in potentially dangerous situations. Little research has been devoted to visual alert desensitization. METHOD: This paper describes how the Carolinas HealthCare System decreased the number of nonclinically relevant infusion pump alerts by analyzing alert data that were formatted into scatter plots. This in turn enabled the identification of the medications associated with the most meaningful alerts and those associated with the least meaningful alerts. CONCLUSION: By revising drug library limits for specific medications, it was possible to decrease the number of less clinically meaningful alerts, reduce alert fatigue, and thereby increase the effectiveness of the smart infusion pumps. This added another layer of safety to patient care.
Authors: Susan J Skledar; Cynthia S Niccolai; Dennis Schilling; Susan Costello; Nicolette Mininni; Kelly Ervin; Alana Urban Journal: Am J Health Syst Pharm Date: 2013-04-15 Impact factor: 2.637