If you’ve ever spent the night in a hospital, you’re likely aware of the preponderance of alarms designed to alert healthcare practitioners about potentially life-threatening events. And while the point of these alarms is to help healthcare providers do their jobs, the reality is that these alarms can at times be more harmful than helpful. Why? Because of a phenomenon known as “alarm fatigue.” Here’s a closer look at the problem, along with research underway aimed at improving patient safety by reducing alarm fatigue.