The usability failure mode

Recommended protection

Validation

Setting improper alarm limits

The user might set wrong limits, resulting in either unintentional muting the alarms or in enabling excessive nuisance alarms

Adjustment by risk levels

• The system may propose new alarm limits, according to common medical practices.
• The alarm limits should be set as percentage of the population.
• The users should be required to confirm the system's proposal.

Usability testing

Check that the changing of alarm limits is easier than silencing the system.

Failure to control the system

The international standard suggests (section 6.7), that access to changes to the alarm system may be restricted.

The risks of excessive restrictions is that the users might fail to control the system.

Preventing unintentional muting

Only risky user actions should be protected.

Only administration-level actions should be protected by password. Patient-level actions may be protected by warnings.

Functional testing

Make sure that the system does not propose risky changes in the alarm limits