TY - GEN
T1 - Limiting the distracting effects of interruptions in nursing care
AU - Harder, Kathleen A.
AU - Bloomfield, John R.
PY - 2005/12/1
Y1 - 2005/12/1
N2 - Interruptions are pervasive in medical settings. The objective of this study was to develop recommendations for dealing with them. We focused on interruptions experienced by the nursing staff at a large Midwestern hospital. We observed workflow in two nursing stations with different layouts at various times of day, and conducted focus groups with nursing personnel. We identified several sources of the interruptions including: other people; auditory messages; shortages of equipment; software flaws; inconvenient location of supplies; layout of the nursing stations; work processes; and staffing levels. Our recommendations were aimed at limiting interruptions, reducing distracting effects, improving the working conditions of medical practitioners, and reducing the possibility of error.
AB - Interruptions are pervasive in medical settings. The objective of this study was to develop recommendations for dealing with them. We focused on interruptions experienced by the nursing staff at a large Midwestern hospital. We observed workflow in two nursing stations with different layouts at various times of day, and conducted focus groups with nursing personnel. We identified several sources of the interruptions including: other people; auditory messages; shortages of equipment; software flaws; inconvenient location of supplies; layout of the nursing stations; work processes; and staffing levels. Our recommendations were aimed at limiting interruptions, reducing distracting effects, improving the working conditions of medical practitioners, and reducing the possibility of error.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84856977721
SN - 0415374480
SN - 9780415374484
T3 - Contemporary Ergonomics 2005
SP - 256
EP - 260
BT - Contemporary Ergonomics 2005
T2 - Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society: Contemporary Ergonomics 2005, CE 2005
Y2 - 5 April 2005 through 7 April 2005
ER -