2 research outputs found
Safety risks associated with physical interactions between patients and caregivers during treatment and care delivery in Home Care settings: a systematic review
Objective:
To explore the safety risks associated with physical interactions between patients and caregivers during treatment and care delivery in Home Care settings
Design:
Seven-stage framework from the PRISMA statement for research question, eligibility (definition), search, identification of relevant papers from title and abstract, selection and retrieval of papers, appraisal and synthesis.
Data sources: British Nursing Index (BNI), Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Embase, Ergonomics Abstracts, Health Business Elite, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus, Social Care online, Social Science Citation Index).
Review methods: The included references (n = 42) were critically appraised using a modified version of Downs and Black checklist and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.
Results:
The risk factors are reported using the modified model of human factors of health care in the home to represent the roles of both patients and caregivers in the system. The results are grouped as environment (health policy, physical and social), artefacts (equipment and technology), tasks (procedures and work schedules) and care recipient/provider. These include permanent and temporary building design and access, communication and lone working, provision of equipment and consumables, and clinical tasks. The topics with strong evidence from at least 2 papers relate to risks associated with awkward working positions, social environment issues (additional tasks and distractions), abuse and violence, inadequate team (peer) support, problems with workload planning, needle stick injuries and physical workload (moving and handling patients).
Conclusions:
As home care increases, there is a need to ensure the safety of both patients and caregivers with an understanding of the physical interactions and tasks to manage safety risks and plan safer care delivery systems
Human Factors and Ergonomics and Quality Improvement Science: Integrating Approaches for Safety in Healthcare
In this paper, we will address the important question of how quality improvement science (QIS) and human factors and ergonomics (HFE) can work together to produce safer solutions for healthcare. We suggest that there will be considerable advantages from an integrated approach between the two disciplines and professions which could be achieved in two phases. First, by identifying people trained in HFE and those trained in QIS who understand how to work together and second, by developing opportunities for integrated education and training. To develop this viewpoint we will: Discuss and explore how QIS and HFE could be integrated by building on existing definitions, scope of practice, knowledge, skills, methods, research and expertise in each discipline; Outline opportunities for a longer-term integration through training, and education for healthcare professionals