Discrepancy Between Gaze Fixation and Risk Perception in Fall Risk Scenarios Among Healthcare Professionals and...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare safety research
• Cognitive psychology in medicine
• Medical education and training

Background:

• Medical errors and near misses are significant patient safety issues.
• Eye-gaze analysis has explored risk perception, but its link to judgment under time pressure and experience levels is unclear.
• Understanding risk perception is vital for training to prevent healthcare incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if gaze fixation time on hazards differs between experienced healthcare workers and students.
• To determine if expertise reduces the tendency to overlook hazards despite visual fixation.
• To analyze differences in risk perception strategies under time constraints.

Main Methods:

• Eye-tracking technology and the Time Pressure-Kiken Yochi Training Effectiveness Measurement System (TP-KYT) were used.
• Participants included 23 healthcare workers and 25 rehabilitation students in Japan.
• TP-KYT scores were compared with gaze fixation duration, saccade amplitude, and fixation and non-cognition (FnC).

Main Results:

• Healthcare workers scored significantly higher on the TP-KYT than students.
• Students showed shorter fixation durations on some hazards and a higher likelihood of fixation and non-cognition (FnC), especially for environmental risks.
• No significant difference was found in the total amplitude of saccades between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Students struggle to contextualize hazards within their environment, leading to overlooked risks.
• Risk education should prioritize teaching contextual recognition methods.
• Findings can guide training to enhance healthcare safety and prevent adverse events.