Good Alarm Policies are No Accident, Declares ECRI Institute

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Inappropriate configurations of clinical alarm settings are more than just a nuisance for front-line staff, according to ECRI Institute's accident investigators. Improper changes to preconfigured alarm settings have resulted in serious patient harm or death when caregivers weren't alerted to significant changes in patient conditions. This doesn't need to persist.

Findings from these investigations have raised concerns that many healthcare organizations do not have effective policies on configuring and managing clinical alarm settings. Establishing effective policies for setting of clinical alarms—and putting a system in place to effectively follow these policies—is critical to patient safety.

To educate healthcare facilities about the challenges clinicians are facing when configuring physiologic monitor alarms, ECRI Institute is presenting an educational web conference, "Good Alarm Policies are No Accident," on Wednesday, September 3, 2014, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm, ET.

The objectives of this webinar are to help participants:

• Comprehend ways to improve alarm-setting policies for successful compliance with the Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal on alarm safety
• Realize what to expect when planning and designing patient care areas
• Recognize how leading healthcare organizations have improved alarm-setting processes to improve patient safety 
• Understand lessons learned from our accident investigations related to alarms

Speakers:

• Michael Argentieri, MS, Vice President & Senior Investigator, ECRI Institute
• Mark E. Bruley, CCE, Vice President, Accident and Forensic Investigation, ECRI Institute (Q&A only)
• Maria Cvach, DNP, RN, Assistant Director of Nursing, Clinical Standards, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
• Sue Sendelbach, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAHA, FAAN, Director of Nursing Research, Abbott Northwestern Hospital
• Stacy Jepsen, APRN, CNS, CCRN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care, Abbott Northwestern Hospital
• Moderator:
• Jeremy Suggs, PhD, Engineering Manager, Health Devices, ECRI Institute

This webinar is intended for risk managers, clinical staff, nursing administration, ICU staff, clinical department heads, clinical and biomedical engineers, materials managers, and other healthcare professionals. The interactive format of ECRI Institute's webinar will provide ample time to interact with the panel during the Q&A session and also encourages participation.

To learn more, or to register for this webinar, visit the website or contact ECRI Institute by telephone at (610) 825-6000, ext. 5889; by e-mail at [email protected]; by fax at (610) 834-0240; or by mail at 5200 Butler Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462-1298, USA. ECRI Institute also offers free resources in our free eNewsletters.

Social Sharing

• September 3rd webinar from @ECRI_Institute will cover establish alarm-setting policies ly.ecri.org/9iF4VY
• Webinar announced #EINews: "Good Alarm Policies are No Accident" @ECRI_Institute ly.ecri.org/9iF4VY

About ECRI Institute
​ECRI Institute (www.ecri.org), a nonprofit healthcare research organization, dedicates itself to bringing the discipline of applied scientific research to healthcare to discover which medical procedures, devices, drugs, and processes enable improved patient care. As pioneers in this science for more than 45 years, ECRI Institute marries experience and independence with the objectivity of evidence-based research. Strict conflict-of-interest guidelines ensure objectivity. ECRI Institute is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. ECRI Institute PSO is listed as a federally certified Patient Safety Organization by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Find ECRI Institute on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ECRIInstitute) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ECRI_Institute).

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SOURCE ECRI Institute