Annex E (informative) Verbal ALARM SIGNALS

E.1 Guidance

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS should only be considered for equipment intended for continuous OPERATOR attendance.

לא ברורה הסיבה לדרישה זו.

ניתן אולי לשלב צליל מקדים להודעה, כמו בנתב"ג

הנחת העבודה של התקן היא שהודעות מילוליות נקלטות פחות ולכן הדרישה שישמשו רק כאשר המשתמש ליד המכשיר

The use of verbal ALARM SIGNALS in the vicinity of conscious PATIENTS and relatives, who have no way of knowing whether the verbal ALARM SIGNALS refer to them or to another PATIENT can cause increased PATIENT and visitor stress and compromise PATIENT confidentiality.

משמעות: ההודעות צריכות לכלול זיהוי של החולה. צריך לחשוב האם הזיהוי צריך להיות ברור לכל השומעים, או רק לצוות.

מתוך שמירת פרטיות אין להכריז שמות חולים  

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS can compete with,

כלומר, צריך לדרוש שהדיבור ישמע רק בחירום

or not be heard over other conversations.

כלומר, בחירום, צריך לדרוש שצליל הדיבור יהיה גבוה ומובחן (למשל, צליל רדיופוני או מתכתי)

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS can distract personnel from necessary communication.

כלומר, שישמע רק בחירום

The use of verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be validated by USABILITY testing.

האם יש דרישה ל-disclosure של usability testing? צריך לכלול דרישה כזו לצורך אישור תקן למוצר

E.2 Characteristics of verbal alarm signals

E.2.1 General

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS can consist of an initial auditory ALARM SIGNAL composed of 1 BURST of the appropriate auditory ALARM SIGNAL to attract the attention of the OPERATOR and perhaps to identify the general problem, and a brief verbal message to identify the ALARM CONDITION and optionally specify an appropriate action.

E.2.2 Intensity

The speech interference level is the measure of the effectiveness of noise in masking speech. It is the arithmetic mean of the sound pressure levels of interfering noise (in dB referenced to 20 ìPa) in the four octave bands centred on the frequencies 500 Hz, 1 000 Hz, 2 000 Hz and 4 000 Hz, respectively. The unit of speech interference is the decibel (dB). Verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be at least 20 dB above the speech interference level at the OPERATOR’S POSITION in the environment where the equipment is likely to be used, but should not exceed 85 dB(A).

E.2.3 Type of voice

The voice used in recording verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be distinctive and mature.

E.2.4 Delivery style

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be presented in a formal, impersonal manner.

E.2.5 Speech processing

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be processed only if necessary to increase or preserve intelligibility.

EXAMPLE By increasing the strength of consonant sounds relative to vowel strength.

If a verbal ALARM SIGNAL is required to be relatively intense because of high ambient noise, peak-clipping can be used to protect the listener from auditory overload.

E.2.6 Message content

In selecting words to be used in verbal ALARM SIGNALS, words should be chosen on the basis of vocabulary based on intelligibility, aptness and conciseness, in that order.

E.2.7 HIGH PRIORITY verbal ALARM SIGNALS

HIGH PRIORITY verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be repeated with not more than 10 s between the beginnings of messages until the ALARM CONDITION is responded to by the OPERATOR or is no longer present.

E.2.8 Message priorities

A message priority system should be established so that a message of the highest priority will be generated before any message having a lower priority. If two or more ALARM CONDITIONS occur simultaneously, the one indicating a message of higher priority should be generated first. After generating the highest priority message, remaining messages should be generated in descending order of priority.

E.3 Limitations of verbal ALARM SIGNALS

E.3.1 Privacy and security

In an intensive care or ward setting, a PATIENT might hear the verbal ALARM SIGNAL of another PATIENT'S ALARM CONDITION. This is private information that should be secure. Other PATIENTS might become upset because they think that the verbal ALARM SIGNAL applies to them.

משמעות: מידע חסוי ישמע אך ורק בחירום

E.3.2 Language

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS should be presented in the language of the OPERATOR. In equipment used all over the world, or in a country with multiple national languages, complex equipment capable of many languages can be required.

E.3.3 Clarity

Verbal ALARM SIGNALS can compete with, and not be heard over other conversations with care team members. Alternatively, verbal ALARM SIGNALS can distract personnel from necessary communication.

E.3.4 Multiple ALARM CONDITIONS

In many situations, when one ALARM CONDITION generates ALARM SIGNALS, several others will soon follow. In this case, there would be multiple verbal ALARM SIGNALS presented sequentially or simultaneously.

הערה קודמת: המערכת צריכה לייצר הודעה אחת בלבד לארוע, כאשר הפירוט של המדדים השונים מופיע במדיום חזותי.

E.3.5 Emotional responses

Depending upon the gender of the voice of the verbal ALARM SIGNAL and the gender of the OPERATOR, there can be an emotional response that is counter-productive to the intended message.

לא רלבנטי לחירום