title: Description of inpatient medication management using cognitive work analysis.
abstract: The purpose of this article was to describe key elements of an inpatient medication system using the cognitive work analysis method of Rasmussen et al (Cognitive Systems Engineering. Wiley Series in Systems Engineering; 1994). The work of nurses and physicians were observed in routine care of inpatients on a medical-surgical unit and attached ICU. Interaction with pharmacists was included. Preoperative, postoperative, and medical care was observed. Personnel were interviewed to obtain information not easily observable during routine work. Communication between healthcare workers was projected onto an abstraction/decomposition hierarchy. Decision ladders and information flow charts were developed. Results suggest that decision making on an inpatient medical/surgical unit or ICU setting is a parallel, distributed process. Personnel are highly mobile and often are working on multiple issues concurrently. In this setting, communication is key to maintaining organization and synchronization for effective care. Implications for research approaches to system and interface designs and decision support for personnel involved in the process are discussed.
authors.affiliation: California State University Stanislaus, Turlock, CA, USA. apingenot@csustan.edu
authors.forename: Alleene Anne
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Pingenot
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shanteau
authors.forename: L T C Daniel N
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Sengstacke
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D048108:Nursing Informatics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations