Sociotechnical analysis of a neonatal ICU

Sociotechnical theory has been used to inform the development of computer systems in the complex and dynamic environment of healthcare. The key components of the sociotechnical system are the workers, their practices, their mental models, their interactions, and the tools used in the work process. We conducted a sociotechnical analysis of a neonatal intensive care unit towards the development of decision support for antimicrobial prescribing. We found that the core task was to save the baby in the face of complex and often incomplete information. Organizational climate characteristics were pride in clinical and educational practice. In addition, the structure of work identified interdisciplinary teamwork with some communication breakdown and interruptive work environment. Overall, sociotechnical analysis provided a solid method to understand work environment during the decision support development process.