APPLICATION OF ERGONOMICS TO EVALUATING AND IMPROVING THE DESIGN OF HOSPITAL PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEMS

THE RESEARCH ADDRESSES THE HUMAN FACTORS ASPECT OF HOSPITAL PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEMS AND SEEKS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF ERGONOMICS TO THE EVALUATION OF INTENSIVE CARE UNITS (ICU'S). THE INTENSIVE CARE PATIENT MONITORING SYSTEM IS BEING REVIEWED AND ANALYZED IN TERMS OF HUMAN TASKS AND EQUIPMENT MONITORING FUNCTIONS AND WITH RESPECT TO THE EQUIPMENT SETUP PROCESS, CALIBRATION, AND INITIALIZATION OF MONITORING. A FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE OVERALL PATIENT CARE MONITORING SYSTEM IS BEING PERFORMED TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDED ERGONOMIC DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE BEING DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH HOSPITAL DOCTORS AND NURSES WHO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT REGULARLY. ERGONOMIC PROBLEMS THAT RESULT IN HUMAN ERRORS OR EXCESSIVE RESPONSE TIME, WHETHER IN OPERATING SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT OR IN MANAGEMENT OF THE OVERALL SYSTEM, ARE BEING IDENTIFIED, CLASSIFIED, AND PRIORITIZED. OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING DESIGN CHANGES AND TOOLS FOR HUMAN FACTOR REVIEWS AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE.