A method of reducing nuisance alarms from physiological parameter monitors by determining an alarm threshold adapted to a specific care unit, the patient care unit including a plurality of patients being monitored for the physiological parameter. The method includes analyzing physiological parameter measurements from the care unit to determine a number of alarm events indicated as a function of changing alarm criteria and providing an indication of a change in alarm threshold settings adapted to the care unit that reduces a plurality of false alarms without unacceptably increasing missed true alarms, the indication useable by a care provider facility to program alarm threshold settings in the patient care unit.