Stimulus-response time to alarms of the intra-aortic balloon pump: safe care practices.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the sound alarms of the Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) during aortic counterpulsation therapy; to measure the stimulus-response time of the team to these; and to discuss the implications of increasing this time for patient safety from the alarm fatigue perspective. METHOD This is an observational and descriptive study with quantitative and qualitative approach, case study type, carried out in a Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit. RESULTS The most audible IABP alarm was the one of high priority increased-reduced diastolic blood pressure. The stimulus-response time was 33.9 seconds on average. CONCLUSION Managing the alarms of these equipment is essential to minimize the occurrence of the alarm fatigue phenomenon and to offer a safer assistance to patients who rely on this technology.