Technology in the emergency department: Using cognitive work analysis to model and design sustainable systems

Elizabeth E Austin; Brette Blakely; Paul Salmon; Jeffrey Braithwaite; Robyn Clay-Williams

doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105613

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Technology in the emergency department: Using cognitive work analysis to model and design sustainable systems

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Technology in the emergency department: Using cognitive work analysis to model and design sustainable systems

Elizabeth E Austin, Brette Blakely, Paul Salmon, Jeffrey Braithwaite and Robyn Clay-Williams

Safety Science, Vol.147, pp.1-12

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105613

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Abstract

Constraints

Control task analysis

CWA

Social organizational cooperation analysis

System design

Emergency Departments (EDs) are highly complex healthcare settings that must be resilient to unpredictable demands. New technologies are regularly introduced into EDs to improve patient care and workflow processes. However, the interaction between social and technical agents can introduce further complexity, making it difficult to identify the factors that influence the dynamic sustainability of interventions. This study aimed to demonstrate how the Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) Framework can be used to model and design sustainable social-technical ED systems. To identify workspaces, social, technical, and collaboration factors that can be used to design and implement contextually appropriate technologies into the ED, we applied Control Task Analysis (i.e., Contextual Activities Template, CAT), Social Organizational and Cooperation Analysis (SOCA), and Strategies Analysis (StrA) phases from the CWA Framework, developed and validated using data collected during 263 h of observation in a large metropolitan ED. Our models revealed workspaces within the ED that are heavily involved in both clinical and non-clinical tasks for nurses and doctors using a range of technology. Workspaces, technology, and roles that are over- or under- utilized create contextually sensitive opportunities for dispersing work. Application of CWA enables examination of the ongoing, dynamic relationship between technological interventions and context, which can support sustainability and inform future designs.

Details

Title: Technology in the emergency department: Using cognitive work analysis to model and design sustainable systems
Authors: Elizabeth E Austin (Corresponding Author) - Macquarie University
Brette Blakely (Author) - Macquarie University
Paul Salmon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science
Jeffrey Braithwaite (Author) - Macquarie University
Robyn Clay-Williams (Author) - Macquarie University
Publication details: Safety Science, Vol.147, pp.1-12
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date published: 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105613
ISSN: 1879-1042; 0925-7535
Copyright note: Copyright (c) The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Organisation Unit: Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99598308202621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Industrial; Operations Research & Management Science