When things go wrong: Alarms, faults and emergency response
alarms anaesthetic machine machine failure machine fault ventilator Nov 05, 2026
Most days, anaesthesia equipment works quietly in the background and nobody thinks twice about it. But every perianaesthesia nurse should understand what happens when it doesn't, because knowing the alarms and the backup systems is what keeps a small glitch from becoming a crisis.
Anaesthesia machines are built with multiple layers of protection. Oxygen failure alarms, pressure displays, interlocks and non-return valves all exist so that a fault is caught early, long before it reaches the patient. On top of the built-in safety features, structured equipment checks happen at several points, from detailed servicing checks through to a final check before each individual patient. Together, these layers are designed to make equipment failure rare and recoverable.
Here is what matters most to recognise:
🔔 an oxygen supply failure alarm should trigger automatically and cut off other gases until oxygen is restored
🧯 a reserve oxygen cylinder and a self-inflating bag must always be immediately accessible
🔍 checks happen at several levels, including a check before every single patient
⚠️ an alarm should never be silenced until the actual problem is fixed
🛠️ faults can be mechanical, electrical or human error, so vigilance matters at every stage
In the anaesthetic nurse role, this means genuinely engaging with equipment checks at the start of every list, not just watching them happen. During induction and emergence, you are often the second set of eyes while the anaesthetist is focused on the airway. Noticing an alarm, a strange sound or an unexpected reading and speaking up early is one of the most valuable things you can do.
Confidence with alarms and faults is not about memorising every fault code. It is about staying alert, knowing where backup equipment lives, and trusting your instincts when something feels off.
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. (2021). PS54(A) Position statement on the minimum safety requirements for anaesthesia machines and workstations for clinical practice. ANZCA.
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists. (2026). PG31 Guideline on checking anaesthesia delivery systems (pilot). ANZCA.
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