The purpose of this research project is to study communication patterns, workflow patterns, and resource availability in the Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments (ED) at VUMC. In addition the study will assess and identify specific contributing factors to workload, and stress in resident and attending physician staffing. The major objective is to quantify the complex nature of the ED's work environment and to identify system and human factors that influence safety and efficiency.

There are several components to the study, which include; task analysis, subjective workload assessment, physiological workload assessment, and informatics assessment. The task analysis involves systematic observations conducted in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Emergency Department. The subjective workload assessment includes the usage of NASA Task Load Index testing. Physiological assessments are done using specific monitoring devices. Informatics analysis is comprised of a strategic evaluation of the informatics systems used in the Emergency Department. These various components will be studied and incorporated into an overall assessment of human and system factors that influence work in the Emergency Department.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study is supported by funds from the National Science Foundation through the Vanderbilt University IGERT program on Risk and Reliability Engineering and, in part, by an Idaho National Laboratory Fellowship.