Effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Nature Sounds on Alarm Fatigue in Intensive Care Unit Nurses: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses are exposed to numerous alarms, many of which are unnecessary and lead to alarm fatigue. This phenomenon, caused by desensitization to alarm sounds, reduces nurses' responsiveness to critical alerts and threatens both their well-being and patient safety. Alarm fatigue has been linked to elevated stress, burnout and errors in patient care, underscoring the need for effective interventions. Progressive muscle relaxation involves the gradual and systematic contraction and relaxation of different muscle groups throughout the body and nature sounds use for decrease stress and alarm fatigue.