Redefining Interruptions: Events, Causes, and Impacts in Trauma Rooms

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Operations
• Human Factors Engineering
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Trauma rooms are high-pressure environments prone to workflow interruptions.
• Interruptions can stem from human or environmental factors, impacting patient safety.
• The physical environment's role in these interruptions requires detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key workflow interruption events in trauma rooms.
• To determine the primary sources and outcomes of these interruptions.
• To investigate the influence of the physical environment on trauma room workflow.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving video observations of 6 trauma cases.
• Utilized Noldus Observer XT 16 software for systematic coding.
• Analyzed medical staff roles, interruptive events, causes, and impacts.

Main Results:

• 114 events observed; most common were movement restrictions (39%), throwing objects (17%), and floor clearing (13%).
• Primary causes included clutter/untidiness (32%) and mobile fixture placement (21%).
• Impacts involved unnecessary task additions (21%) and hindered task completion (20%).

Conclusions:

• Physical environmental factors play a significant role in trauma room workflow interruptions.
• Insights can guide evidence-based design and operational strategies.
• Improvements can enhance staff and patient outcomes in critical care settings.