Presentation
A Mixed-Methods Human Factors and Systems Engineering Evaluation of EHR Usability and Workflow Challenges in Safety-Critical Systems: Critical Care Nursing as a Case Example
SessionHC13: Nurse Perspectives
DescriptionThe evaluation of information technology in safety-critical systems is essential to identify and mitigate risks to safety and performance. In critical care settings, nurses interact extensively with Electronic Health Records (EHRs), yet current systems often impede clinical workflows and contribute to cognitive workload, posing threats to patient safety. Despite their central role, nurses’ interactions with EHR systems remain under studied.
This study employed a mixed-methods Human Factors and Systems Engineering (HF/SE) approach to systematically evaluate critical care nurses’ EHR use. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, direct observations, cognitive interviews (think-aloud protocols), surveys, and eye-tracking analyses. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data identified usability issues, workflow inefficiencies, and potential failure modes.
Findings revealed key barriers in system design that affected task efficiency, information retrieval, and documentation accuracy. Eye-tracking heat maps and verbal protocols identified high-demand cognitive areas within EHR interfaces. Focus groups will further synthesize these results to generate user-centered recommendations for system improvement.
The application of a rigorous HF/SE framework provided an in-depth understanding of technology-user interactions in a high-risk clinical environment. Results underscore the necessity of human-centered EHR design and evaluation to enhance safety, reduce burden, and optimize clinical workflows.
This study employed a mixed-methods Human Factors and Systems Engineering (HF/SE) approach to systematically evaluate critical care nurses’ EHR use. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, direct observations, cognitive interviews (think-aloud protocols), surveys, and eye-tracking analyses. Triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data identified usability issues, workflow inefficiencies, and potential failure modes.
Findings revealed key barriers in system design that affected task efficiency, information retrieval, and documentation accuracy. Eye-tracking heat maps and verbal protocols identified high-demand cognitive areas within EHR interfaces. Focus groups will further synthesize these results to generate user-centered recommendations for system improvement.
The application of a rigorous HF/SE framework provided an in-depth understanding of technology-user interactions in a high-risk clinical environment. Results underscore the necessity of human-centered EHR design and evaluation to enhance safety, reduce burden, and optimize clinical workflows.
Contributors
Event Type
Industry/Practitioner Content
Lecture
TimeThursday, October 16th12:10pm - 12:30pm CDT
LocationGrand Hall J
Health Care
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