Associations of alarm fatigue with occupational burnout and sleep quality in ICU nurses: a cross-sectional study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Alarm fatigue is a critical concern in intensive care units (ICUs), where nurses are continuously exposed to high volumes of clinical alarms. This phenomenon may contribute to psychological strain, impaired sleep quality, and occupational burnout. Despite growing evidence, the interrelationships among these variables have rarely been examined within a single analytical framework. This study aimed to investigate the relationships among alarm fatigue, occupational burnout, and sleep quality in ICU nurses working in hospitals in Kerman and Sirjan, Iran. Methods A descriptive–analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 219 ICU nurses selected through census sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Alarm Fatigue Scale (AFSS), the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 22, employing independent t-test, ANOVA, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. Results More than half of the nurses reported no alarm fatigue (57.5%), while 83.6% experienced poor sleep quality. Emotional exhaustion was low to moderate in most participants, depersonalization was moderate in 56.2%, and reduced personal accomplishment was reported by 96.3%. Alarm fatigue showed significant positive correlations with poor sleep quality (r = 0.230, p = 0.001) and occupational burnout (r = 0.166, p = 0.014). Sleep quality was also significantly correlated with burnout (r = 0.175, p = 0.010). Alarm fatigue and burnout were significantly associated with gender, employment status, shift type, and general health status. Conclusions Alarm fatigue, poor sleep quality, and occupational burnout are interrelated challenges among ICU nurses. Higher alarm fatigue is associated with poorer sleep and greater burnout, highlighting the need for improved alarm management, optimized work schedules, and organizational interventions to support nurses’ well-being and enhance patient safety in intensive care settings.
Source: BMC Nursing
Institutions: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, University of Larestan
Language: English
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W7172338434