title: Understanding challenges in the front lines of home health care: a human-systems approach.
abstract: A human-systems perspective is a fruitful approach to understanding home health care because it emphasizes major individual components of the system - persons, equipment/technology, tasks, and environments - as well as the interaction between these components. The goal of this research was to apply a human-system perspective to consider the capabilities and limitations of the persons, in relation to the demands of the tasks and equipment/technology in home health care. Identification of challenges and mismatches between the person(s) capabilities and the demands of providing care provide guidance for human factors interventions. A qualitative study was conducted with 8 home health Certified Nursing Assistants and 8 home health Registered Nurses interviewed about challenges they encounter in their jobs. A systematic categorization of the challenges the care providers reported was conducted and human factors recommendations were proposed in response, to improve home health. The challenges inform a human-systems model of home health care.
authors: Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA 30332-0170, USA. Electronic address: jbeer@cse.sc.edu.
authors: Jenay M
authors: JM
authors: Beer
authors: Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA 30332-0170, USA.
authors: Sara E
authors: SE
authors: McBride
authors: Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA 30332-0170, USA.
authors: Tracy L
authors: TL
authors: Mitzner
authors: Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA 30332-0170, USA. Electronic address: wendy@gatech.edu.
authors: Wendy A
authors: WA
authors: Rogers
mesh_terms: D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006804:Ergonomics; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D061214:Patient Safety; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: Healthcare; Human factors; Human-systems