What is the recommended alarm configuration for physiological monitoring devices?

• A. Alarms are turned off to reduce noise
• B. Only audible alarms are used
• C. Variable pitch and threshold alarms are turned on and audible
• D. Alarms are visual only

Answer: (C)

Monitoring alarms are a safety tool that must be active and informative. The best approach uses alarms that are turned on with threshold-based triggers for each parameter and audible signals that vary in pitch. The variable pitch helps you quickly identify which parameter is out of range and, in some setups, the urgency, so you can triage and respond faster. Threshold alarms ensure you’re alerted only when a clinically meaningful change occurs, reducing nuisance beeps from minor fluctuations. Keeping alarms audible ensures you’re notified even if you’re not immediately watching the monitor, while the differentiated tones help you prioritize actions. In contrast, turning alarms off, using only a single monotone audible alarm, or relying on visual alerts alone increases the risk of missing significant changes and delays patient care.