https://www.vocera.com/uk/blog/reducing-alarm-fatigue-and-interruptions-clinicians-see-bigger-problem-it-does Skip to main content
  • 0800 652 8773
  • United States
    • United States
    • Canada
    • United Kingdom
    • Australia
    • New Zealand
    • Middle East
  • search
     
  • Customer Technical Support
Logo Vocera
Menu
MenuMenuMenu
0800 652 8773 Close Menu
  • About vocera
    About Us
    • About Us
    • Investors
    • Covid-19
    • Newsroom
    • Combating Nurse Fatigue
    • Year Of The Nurse
    • Safety Solutions
    • Virtual Events
  • Products
    • V5000 Smartbadge
      V5000
      Smartbadge
    • B3000N Badge
      B3000N
      Badge
    • Vocera Products
      Compare
      Vocera Products
    • Vocera Accessories
      Vocera
      Accessories
    • Vocera Platform
      Vocera
      Platform
    Smartphones & Wearable Devices
    • Smartphones & Wearable Devices
    • Vocera Smartbadge
    • Vocera Badge
    Clinical Communication Software
    • Clinical Communication Overview
    • Platform
    • Engage
    • Vina Smartphone App
    • Collaboration Suite Smartphone App
    • Secure Text Messaging
    System Interoperability & Alarm Management
    • System Interoperability & Alarm Management
    • Clinical & Operational Systems Integration
    • EHR Systems Integration
    • Staff Assignment Integration
    • Alarm Management
    • Analytics
  • Services
    • Customer Support
    • Access Technical Support Portal (customers with active support contracts).

    • Professional Services
    • Experts to help with workflow enhancements and solution deployment.

    • Vocera University
    • Accelerate proficiency and performance with our customized courseware, in-person and self-guided training opportunities.

    • Accessories and E-Store
    • From batteries and chargers, to specially-designed lanyards, clips, and headsets, accessories help you get the most from the Vocera Platform.

  • Industries
    • Healthcare
    • Aged Care
    • Hospitality
    • Retail
    • Veterinary Care
    • Energy
  • Resources
    • Case Studies
    • Data Sheets
    • Technical Documentation
    • Solution Briefs
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Blog
    • Podcast
  • contact us
  • support portal
  • contact us
  • United States
    • United States
    • United Kingdom
    • Australia
    • New Zealand
  • search
 
Vocera Logo

525 Race Street San Jose, CA 95126 United States (888)-9VOCERA

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Reducing Alarm Fatigue and Interruptions: Clinicians See a Bigger Problem than IT Does
    • All Topics
    • Enabling Safety and Quality Care
    • Saving Steps and Saving Time
    • Transforming
      the Experience
    • Enhancing Care
      with Technology

    Reducing Alarm Fatigue and Interruptions: Clinicians See a Bigger Problem than IT Does

    • by Guest Blogger

    Topics Covered:

    • Enhancing Care with Technology

    Share:

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • print
    July, 2018
    hospital communication 2
    hospital communication 2

    This guest blog post is by Bryan Fiekers, Senior Director of Research Services at HIMSS Analytics

    Before and during HIMSS2018, Vocera worked with HIMSS Analytics to survey 150 clinical and IT leaders at hospitals, academic medical centers, and other healthcare organizations. Vocera issued a report with research conducted by HIMSS Analytics, called Research Findings: Frequent Interruptions Distract Clinicians from Patient Care, Contribute to Stress and Burnout.

    Participants answered ten questions about managing the rising challenge of interruptions from technology-based sources such as phone calls, pages, texts, notifications, alerts, and alarms.

    As we worked through the data, one theme rang clear: when it comes to dealing with, measuring, and addressing interruptions from technology, clinicians see a bigger problem than IT does. There’s lots of room for improvement.

    Technology-Driven Interruptions Make It Hard to Focus on Patient Care

    New technologies have the potential to bring critical patient information to the right clinician at the right time. They also have the potential, if unmanaged and unchecked, to create a cacophony of interruptions and data overload that leaves physicians, nurses, and other care team members distracted, interrupted, and burned out.

    As Rhonda Collins, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer at Vocera Communications notes in the report, disparate communication systems using non-integrated devices can affect the clinician’s ability to get the right information at the right time to care for patients. The complex, chaotic healthcare environment requires a disciplined approach to building a communication strategy to ensure clinician satisfaction and patient safety.

    All clinical leaders we surveyed think system-based interruptions disrupt focus on patient care to some degree. Ninety-four percent of clinical leaders say interruptions contribute moderately or a great deal to difficulty focusing on patient care, compared to 85% of IT leaders.

    Overall, respondents estimate interruptions occur about every nine minutes. More than a quarter of clinical leaders estimate interruptions occur roughly every three to six minutes.

    Leaders Want Better Measurement and Responsiveness

    Clinical and IT leaders alike are overwhelmingly dissatisfied with their organization’s responsiveness and agility in identifying the frequency of interruptions and adjusting workflow to address problems.

    Many vendors of IT systems provide usage reports that outline the frequency and context of messages, alerts, and alarms. Almost half of IT leaders surveyed either don’t receive usage reports, or do nothing with the data.

    The majority of respondents measure interruptions sporadically if at all. Most measure because people complain. Meanwhile, two thirds of leaders want measurement at least quarterly.

    Interruptions Contribute to Clinician Stress and Burnout

    Eighty-two percent of survey respondents think interruptions contribute either moderately or a great deal to burnout and emotional stress. Ninety-six percent of clinicians say the impact is at least moderate.

    It seems logical that there is a limit to the number of times someone can be interrupted and still perform their clinical duties safely and efficiently. Past a certain threshold, frustration builds; frustration leads to stress, and stress leads to burnout. Clinicians have enough to consider without the burden of being interrupted every nine minutes for non-emergent issues.

    What Clinical and IT Leaders Can Do

    Leaders need to monitor and adapt the flow of information to ensure that each team member gets what he or she needs without reaching interruption overload.

    To allow technology solutions – and the clinicians they serve – to reach their potential, clinical and IT leaders need to work together to create a continuous learning process based on system usage, quality, safety, and human experience data.

    Leaders need to apply analytics to all relevant data to identify the sources and frequency of interruptions. Based on that insight, they can adjust communication workflows to ensure each clinical team member gets the information they need – without overload.

    The effort should result in better system usage, better clinical outcomes, and a more resilient, healthy, and effective workforce.

    Download the report: Research Findings: Frequent Interruptions Distract Clinicians from Patient Care, Contribute to Stress and Burnout

    View the recorded webinar: The Impact of Interruptions on Clinician Stress and Burnout – and What You Can Do About It

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________

    Learn More about Reducing Interruptions

    • Learn how clinical and IT leaders at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital worked together and with Vocera to reduce ancillary alarms and nurse alarm fatigue in the neonatal intensive care unit.
    • See how you can help reduce clinician interruptions and optimize workflows using communication usage data, with Vocera Analytics.

    Share:

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • print

    Most Recent

    Recommended

    • NHIT Week 2019: Creating Healthy Communities with Technology

    • Celebrating Star Trek and the Next Frontier of Voice…

    • Employing the Power of AI and Interoperability to Reduce Sep…

    • What Hospitals Can Learn about Incident Detection from…

    • Using Technology to Help Prevent Falls in the Hospital

    • Hospital Secure Messaging: 7 Lessons Learned

    • Three Tips for Reducing Sepsis Risk

    • Halifax Health: Better Communication for Better Patient Care

    Pagination

    • Current page 1
    • Page 2
    • Next page Next ›
    • Last page Last »
    Hype cycle promotion

    Most Recent Related Stories

    NHIT Week 2019

    NHIT Week 2019: Creating Healthy Communities with Technology

    Celebrating Star Trek

    Celebrating Star Trek and the Next Frontier of Voice Communi...

    Beyond the Electronic Health Record: Human-Centered Design to Reduce Clinicians’ Cognitive Burden

    Beyond the Electronic Health Record: Human-Centered Design t...

    Stay Connected
    100 Longwater Avenue
    Green Park
    Reading, Berkshire
    RG2 6GP
    United Kingdom

    0800 652 8773

    ABOUT US
    • Home
    • Leadership
    • Year Of The Nurse
    • Experience Innovation Network
    • Investors
    • Board Members
    • Careers
    • Customer Stories
    • Patient Privacy
    • Partners
    • Social Responsibility and the Global Community
    • Supply Chain Transparency
    • Locations
    • Contact Us
    Careers
    • Careers
    News & Events
    • Press Releases
    • News and Research
    • Events
    • Social Media Newsfeed
    • Virtual Events
    Resource Center
    • Blog
    • Case Studies
    • Data Sheets
    • Documentation & Guides
    • Podcast
    • Solution Briefs
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    PRESS RELEASES
    BLOGS
    PODCAST
     
    © Copyright 2019 Vocera Communications. All Rights Reserved.
    Privacy - Legal - Site Map