title: Human factors issues in the intensive care unit.
abstract: In the context of an aging population, more critically ill patients, and a change in intensive care unit (ICU) services stemming from advances in technology, prevalent medical errors and staff burnout in the ICU are not surprising. The ICU provides ample opportunity for human factors experts to apply their knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of human capabilities to design more effective care delivery. Human factors experts design work processes, technology, and environmental factors to effectively and constructively channel the attention and behavior of those providing care; a few areas of focus can have marked impacts on care delivery and patient outcomes. In this review, we focus on these 3 areas and investigate the solutions and problems addressed by previous research.
authors.affiliation: Kathleen A. Harder directs the Center for Design in Health, University of Minnesota, Suite 225, 1425 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414 (kharder@umn.edu). David Marc is Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Design in Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
authors.forename: Kathleen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marc
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units