Objective To determine clinical nurses′ practices toward multi-parameter patient monitor alarms, and to provide reference for standardizing monitor alarm management. Methods A convenient sample of 555 clinical nurses was surveyed in terms of their practices toward monitor alarms. Results Only one third nurses (35.68%) knew alarm thresholds and priorities for physiological monitoring of adults and could skillfully usethen. Less than ten percent (7.75%) of nurses claimed that they removed and replaced the electrodes every 48 hours. Nearly twenty-seven percent (27.03%) of nurses stated that their departments used mobile devices to identify important or critical alarms in time, and conducted measures to reduce false alarm (38.20%). About half of nurses (49.73%) agreed that they handled red alarms within 5 s, yellow alarms and white alarms within 20 s. Conclusion The practice of multi-parameter monitor alarms is not satisfactory. Four procedures of alarm generation, transmission, identification and response need to be improved. Monitor alarm management training should be strengthened.