title: Mitigating nonurgent interruptions during high-severity intensive care unit tasks using a task-severity awareness tool: A quasi-controlled observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a previous study of interruptions to intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, we found that other personnel tend to regulate their interruptions based on nurses' tasks. However, nurses' tasks are not always immediately visible to an interrupter. This article evaluates a task-severity awareness tool (TAT) designed for nurses to inform others when they are performing high-severity tasks. When a nurse engages the tool within an ICU room, a "do not disturb please!" message is displayed outside the room.
  
  
  METHODS
  Task-severity awareness tool was installed in a cardiovascular ICU room at a Canadian hospital. Fifteen nurses assigned to the TAT room and 13 nurses assigned to 11 other rooms were observed, approximately 2 hours each, over a 3-week period. Data were collected in real time, using a tablet computer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interruption rate during high-severity tasks in the TAT room was significantly lower than in other rooms; interruptions with personal content were entirely mitigated during high-severity tasks. Furthermore, interruptions from nurses and medical doctors were also entirely mitigated during high-severity tasks but happened more frequently during non-high-severity tasks compared with rooms with no TAT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Task-severity awareness tool proved to be effective in mitigating unnecessary interruptions to critical tasks. Future research should assess its long-term effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Rd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3G8; HumanEra, Techna, University Health Network, R Fraser Elliott Building, 4th Floor, 190 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 2C4.
authors.forename: Farzan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sasangohar
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King's College Rd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3G8. Electronic address: donmez@mie.utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Donmez
authors.affiliation: HumanEra, Techna, University Health Network, R Fraser Elliott Building, 4th Floor, 190 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 2C4; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3G9.
authors.forename: Anthony C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Easty
authors.affiliation: HumanEra, Techna, University Health Network, R Fraser Elliott Building, 4th Floor, 190 Elizabeth St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5G 2C4; Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College St, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3G9.
authors.forename: Patricia L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Trbovich
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D064648:Critical Care Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015588:Observer Variation; D009864:Ontario; D011364:Professional Practice; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
keywords: Awareness displays; Cardiovascular; Intensive care units; Interruptions; Nursing; Task severity