Medical device alarms are in a continual state of development in the sense that manufacturers are always upgrading and updating equipment, a process that is usually accompanied by the updating and enhancement of alarm systems. This updating can lead to confusion and overload for the operator. However, by changing the focus from the equipment and its associated alarms to the patient, and the physiology of the patient, these problems could be substantially reduced. This paper argues the case for making these alarms patient- rather than equipment-centered, and proposes also that the method for generating ideas about the nature of these alarms should also be determined using user-centered techniques.
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