Bed-exit alarm effectiveness

Abstract

This study describes the accuracy of two types of bed-exit alarms to detect bed-exiting body movements: pressure-sensitive and a pressure sensitive combined with infrared beam detectors (dual sensor system). We also evaluated the occurrence of nuisance alarms, or alarms that are activated when a participant does not attempt to get out of bed. Fourteen nursing home residents were directly observed for a total of 256 nights or 1,636.5 hours; an average of 18.3 ± 22.3 (± S.D.) nights/ participant for an average of 6.4 ± 1.2 hours/night. After adjusting for body movements via repeated measures, Poisson regression modeling, the least squares adjusted means show a marginally significant difference between the type of alarm groups on the number of true positives (mean/S.E.M. = 0.086/1.617) for pressure-sensitive vs. dual sensor alarm (0.593/1.238; p = 0.0599) indicating that the dual sensor alarm may have a higher number of true positives. While the dual sensor bed-exit alarm was more accurate than the pressure sensitive alarm in identifying bed-exiting body movements and reducing the incidence of false alarms, false alarms were not eliminated altogether. Alarms are not a substitute for staff; adequate staff availability is still necessary when residents need or wish to exit bed.

Sequence Learning with Passive RFID Sensors for Real-Time Bed-Egress Recognition in Older People

“…More importantly, it delivers promising results even when the sensor is attached over a loosely fitted hospital garment. Notably, Capezuti et al [43] has shown that systems using bed sensors such as pressure mats needed daily maintenance to check the correct functionality, especially since they are subject to constant mechanical stress and are likely to move from their ideal placement on the bed. Moreover, pressure mats require disinfection or thorough cleaning because of possible exposure to body fluids, and protocols for controlling infections.…”

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effectiveness of an Electronic Sensor Bed/Chair Alarm in Reducing Falls in Patients With Cognitive Impairment in a Subacute Ward

“…A more comprehensive means of assessing bed-/chairexit alarm system accuracy, using a combination of trained observers, videotaping, and multiple raters, was described in a previous study. 12 To obtain consistent recording and measuring of bed-exit and alarm events, the use of multiple approaches to collecting data may be preferable to using a single source. It was not possible to identify the reasons for the false-negative alarms in this study.…”

“…These alarms may be directly attached to the patient or may be a part of or adjacent to the bed itself. The different types of bed-exit alarm systems currently being used in hospitals include cord and garment clip devices, 10 floor sensor mats, 11 bedside infrared-beam detectors, 12 and other alarms that are triggered by a change in position or pressure. 13 Pressure-sensor alarms are commonly used in hospitals; however, they are prone to several problems.…”

Effectiveness of an Ambient Intelligent Geriatric Management system (AmbIGeM) to prevent falls in older people in hospitals: protocol for the AmbIGeM stepped wedge pragmatic trial

“…Both studies identified high ‘false alarms’ as a major reason for negative results. Two papers have reported significantly different false alarm rates with one suggesting that observed false alarm rates were >99%19 and another recording a false alarm report rate of 16% with pressure sensors (may have been impacted by under-reporting) 20. A recent review also recommended that alarm systems should monitor for multiple risk activities in multiple locations and suggests that wearable sensors may be better able to meet this need 20.…”