Primary alerts are the first alert sent to a user for a case. Acknowledging alerts is a critical step in letting the rest of the team know you’re aware of the patient.
Alerts for new patient cases can appear on your mobile device a few different ways. On a locked screen, an unlocked screen, or with Pulsara running in the foreground.
iOS alert examples:
(Left) - Alert received when the device is locked
(Right) - Alert received when the device is unlocked and Pulsara is running in the foreground or background.
Android alert examples:
Alert behavior can vary in Android, depending on the device and the Android version. If your screen appears dim, navigate to the notification area to see the alerts.
(Left) - Alert received when Pulsara is running and open.
(Right) - Alert received when the screen is unlocked.
Notification Sounds
The alert will sound up to 30 secs but will stop sounding sooner if acknowledged or silenced. Silencing the alert will only stop the sound, the patient will not be acknowledged in Pulsara.
(Alerts can be silenced with the power button, by swiping away the notification, or by pressing the volume down button once on iOS or twice on Android.)
If you do not acknowledge the patient, you’ll continue receiving an alert about this patient every two minutes for 20 minutes or until the acknowledgment occurs. For more information view Pulsara Alerts Explained.
Different Ways to Acknowledge a New Patient Alert
Depending on your organization's Pulsara Mobile PIN duration and the time elapsed since being active in Pulsara, you may need to PIN back into Pulsara after tapping the incoming alert.
If your device is locked or asleep, after tapping on the Pulsara patient alert the PIN screen will appear if your Mobile PIN duration has surpassed. After PIN-ing into Pulsara, the patient is acknowledged and you’ll be directed to the patient screen.
If Pulsara is already open, the alert will appear for a few moments before it hides (on iOS this depends on how alerts are configured). If an alert hides before you can see it, don’t worry you can always open it from the notification area.
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If you miss the first alert, you can also acknowledge the patient from within Pulsara by going to the list of patients and tapping on the patient. Patients that appear green in the list have not been acknowledged by you.
Team Acknowledgement Status
In the team area on the patient screen, you can see what teams were alerted about this patient and team members that have acknowledged the patient.
To see individuals that have acknowledged the case, tap on team. Anyone with a green checkmark beside their name has acknowledged the alert. Members with an hour-glass icon have not acknowledged the alert.
The bell next to each team member indicates that the person cannot currently receive alerts for this patient.
For more information on team alerts, review the Team Screen.
How to Let EMS Know the Hospital is Aware of the Incoming Patient
Within Pulsara MANAGER, there’s an important team setting that will determine if your teams can acknowledge EMS created patients. If you are a member of a team that has this option set to ‘yes’, EMS will receive an alert that the patient has been acknowledged.
Contact Pulsara for help configuring your Teams.
Acknowledging patient alerts swiftly and accurately can improve team communication and patient outcomes by letting others know that you are aware of the patient.
