A sensing device is used to consolidate and time-synchronize Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or other clinical data from patient monitoring devices provided by a plurality of different vendors having proprietary event data formats. The automation of logging of events due to external forces applied to patient monitoring devices detected by the sensing device improves the timing in and completeness of nurses' notes. Furthermore, the sensing device provides an easy way to synchronize or consolidate data from multiple vendors' patient monitoring devices.