The effect of audible alarms on anaesthesiologists' response times to adverse events in a simulated anaesthesia environment: a randomised trial

Abstract

SummaryAlarms are ubiquitous in anaesthetic practice, but their net effect on anaesthesiologists' performance and patient safety is debated. In this study, 27 anaesthesiologists performed two simulation sessions in random order; one session was programmed to include an alarm condition, with a standard, frequent, clearly audible alarm sound. During these sessions, adverse events were simulated and anaesthesiologists' response times to these events were recorded. Perceived workload was assessed with the NASA Task Load Index. Response times to adverse events and perceived workload were similar in both groups. Pooled response times to atrial fibrillation and desaturation were fast, with a median ( This study shows that in a simulated anaesthesia environment, response times to adverse events are similar in the absence or presence of an audible alarm, and that response times to various critical events differ.

Research not research

“…The criticism of simulation training in anaesthetic practice has been the lack of evidence that this type of training is beneficial to long-term skills acquisition and retention or patient outcome. Simulation, of course, encompasses both the acquisition of technical as well as non-technical skills, and has been shown to be effective at reducing errors both within the anaesthetic community and other medical disciplines [7][8][9].…”

“I Can Remember Sort of Vivid People…but to Me They Were Plasticine.” Delusions on the Intensive Care Unit: What Do Patients Think Is Going On?

“…Memories are malleable [ 74 – 76 ]. Those which are continually replayed, either in the mind or in conversation with others, are perhaps more susceptible to change as each cycle of repetition provides a new opportunity for modification [ 77 , 78 ]. This hypothesis drives some post-traumatic stress disorder treatments designed to block the memory reconsolidation process and disrupt fear memory retention [ 79 ].…”

Anaesthesia workload measurement devices: qualitative systematic review

“…Of the 24 studies, 11 assessed only one of the four concepts (scoring/task-oriented: 2, task performance: 5, response time capabilities: 2 and physiological changes: 2); 10 studies assessed scoring and response times, 2 scoring and physiology; 1 study assessed scoring, response time capabilities and physiology. Vigilance was assessed in 13 studies using either the vibrotactile device13–16 or response to a randomly illuminated light20–22 24–27 34 or alarm sound response latency 32. Physiological monitoring was reported in five papers17–19 22 28 from three studies.…”