Clinical Alarm Management in Terms of Knowledge and Practices Among Palestinian Critical Care Nurses in the West Bank

Introduction: Inadequate nursing management of critical area alarms negatively impacts patients' health and increases the risk of adverse outcomes. There is a lack of studies examining clinical alarm management-related knowledge and practices among Palestinian critical care nurses (CCN) in the West Bank. Objectives: This study aimed to assess CCNs' knowledge and practices regarding clinical alarm management and identify associated demographic factors among Palestinian CCNs in Southern West Bank hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in critical care units of governmental and non-governmental hospitals in May 2024. A total of 155 nurses were recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of three sections: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of clinical alarms, and practices related to clinical alarm management. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: Of the 155 nurses, 60.6% experienced a lack of alarm-related training. Only 16.1% of the participants demonstrated good knowledge and 35.5% had good practices. Nurses with Master`s degree or higher showed significantly better knowledge (p < 0.001). Younger, less-experienced, female, single nurses, who received alarm-related training, had better practices (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The critical gaps in nurses' knowledge and practices concerning clinical alarms demand immediate attention. Educational and training initiatives are essential for improving alarm management for enhancing patient safety.