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A new global and comprehensive model for ICU ventilator performances evaluation.
Nicolas S Marjanovic1,2, Agathe De Simone3, Guillaume Jegou3
1Urgences Adultes/SAMU 86, CHU de Poitiers, 86000, Poitiers Cedex, France.
Annals of Intensive Care
|June 19, 2017
Summary
Recent ICU ventilators show similar technical performance but varying ergonomics. Some devices pose a high risk of misusage due to poor usability, highlighting a gap in user-centered design for critical care equipment.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Engineering
- Biomedical Device Evaluation
- Human Factors in Medicine
Background:
- Evaluating recent intensive care unit (ICU) ventilators is crucial for patient safety and effective treatment.
- A comprehensive assessment requires considering both technical capabilities and user interaction (ergonomics).
Purpose of the Study:
- To globally and comprehensively evaluate recent ICU ventilators.
- To assess both technical performance and ergonomic factors of selected devices.
Main Methods:
- Six ICU ventilators were tested using an automated lung simulating various respiratory conditions (compliance, resistance, leaks, inspiratory effort) and oxygen levels.
- Ergonomics were assessed by 20 physicians using physiological stress response, psychocognitive scales (SUS, NASA-TLX), and task completion.
Main Results:
- Technical performance differences between ventilators were minimal.
- Non-invasive ventilation modes significantly impacted patient-ventilator asynchrony.
- Ergonomic assessments revealed significant usability differences, with some devices showing poor adaptation to user needs.
Conclusions:
- Despite comparable technical specifications, some ICU ventilators demonstrate suboptimal ergonomics.
- Poor ergonomics increase the risk of misusage and highlight the need for improved user-centered design in ventilator development.
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