Product Manual

M3A Vital Signs Monitor User Manual Alarm
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Chapter 5 Alarm
This chapter gives general information about the alarm and measures to be taken accordingly.
Alarm setup and prompt messages are provided in respective parameter setup sections.
WARNING
A potential hazard can exist if different alarm presets are used for the same or similar
equipment in any single area, e.g. an intensive care unit or cardiac operating room.
5.1 Alarm Modes
5.1.1 Alarm Level
Each alarm, either technical or physiological, has its own level. For an alarm of a higher level,
when the alarm is activated, the system will give a prompt in various ways. The alarm’s level can
not be changed by the user once defined by the system. Alarms in the monitor are divided into
three levels: High, Medium and Low.
High-level alarm indicates the patient’s life is in danger or the monitor has serious technical
problems. It is a most serious alarm.
Medium-level alarm means serious warning.
Low-level alarm is a general warning.
Alarms are classified into three categories, which are physiological alarm, technical alarm and
general alarm. Physiological alarms refer to those alarms triggered by patient’s physiological
situation which could be considered dangerous to his or her life. Technical alarm refer to system
failure which can make a certain monitoring process technically impossible or make monitoring
result unbelievable. Technical alarm is also called System Error Message. General alarm belongs
to those situations that can not be categorized into these two cases but still need to pay attention
to.
The monitor has pre-set the alarm levels for the parameters.
Alarm level of the System Error Message (technical alarm) is pre-set in the system.
All technical alarms, general alarms and some of the physiological alarms are preset in the system
and can not be changed by the user.
5.1.2 Alarm Modes
When an alarm occurs, the monitor can raise the user’s attention in at least three ways, which are
audio prompt, visual prompt and description.
Audio and visual prompts are given by LCD display device, the speaker on the display device
and the alarm indicator. Physiological alarm, technical Alarm or description is displayed in
information area or beside the parameters at the bottom of the screen.