NurseAssist
A human factors analysis and interface design to address the organizational shortcomings of nurses in the ICU
Project Overview
The intensive care unit (ICU) is a dynamic environment, which can lead to disorganization, resulting in medical slips and errors. The purpose of this project was to identify the most likely causes of such errors and to address them in the form of an application to be used primarily by Canadian ICU nurses.
Project Circumstances and My Role
This project was completed as a team for my Human Factors in Biomedical Systems course where I participated in analyzing the cause of errors and designed the wireframe of a user interface in collaboration with team members.
Failure Modes and Effects Criticality Analysis
Purpose of FMECA
FMECA is an accident and risk potential analysis method wherein events leading to accidents are assessed according to their frequency and severity, allowing them to be assigned a criticality score. This assessment was used to determine the user requirements of the mobile application to address the organizational structure of the ICU. A list of failure modes were determined through two interviews with ICU nurses practicing at two different hospitals as well as a literature review.
Outcomes of FMECA
The outcomes of the criticality analysis determined that the most critical events leading to failures in the ICU were alarm batteries dying, interruptions, missed tasks due to preoccupations, and the administration of the incorrect dosage of medication. This analysis allowed the team to design the application to specifically target such issues.
Task Analysis
Purpose of Task Analysis
The various tasks of ICU nurses were analyzed to understand inefficient processes, repetitive tasks, and failure modes, which are subsequently able to be targeted in the design of a system to maximize the efficiency of nurses throughout the day.
Each task was then broken down into subtasks, which are then broken down into cognitive and physical tasks. Through the assessment of cognitive tasks, those which require strong attention, short and long term memory, and analytical skills are further broken down based on potential failure modes, allowing the team to target such tasks to address in the mobile application.
Outcomes of Task Analysis
Failure modes such as medication error, dosage error, and misplacement of devices were identified using the task analysis, allowing the team to direct their attention to these errors in the design of the wireframe.
Wireframe Development
Combining data collected from each analysis, the wireframe of an iPad application was developed to reduce interruptions, locate misplaced equipment, and complete documentation.
From the home page, a nurse is able to call another nurse based on their availability should they require assistance. A nurse is also able to locate any equipment that may have been moved due to the dynamic nature of the ICU, saving time which would otherwise be wasted by searching manually. Alerts are also visible on the home page of each nurse's application, reducing alarm fatigue and optimizing communication when events require assistance.
Future Iteration
If this project were to be continued, the wireframe would have undergone preliminary user testing to determine whether its hierarchical structure allowed for an increase in efficiency in the ICU. Subsequently, a second wireframe prototype would be completed to address any issues such a test would undercover. Following this, the design would be implemented using a design software such as InVision to improve the aesthetic and allow for a clean and efficient user experience.