Use of in situ simulation and human factors engineering to assess and improve emergency department clinical systems for timely telemetry-based detection of life-threatening arrhythmias.

Background And Objectives: Medical simulation and human factors engineering (HFE) may help investigate and improve clinical telemetry systems. Investigators sought to (1) determine the baseline performance characteristics of an Emergency Department (ED) telemetry system implementation at detecting simulated arrhythmias and (2) improve system performance through HFE-based intervention.

Methods: The prospective study was conducted in a regional referral ED over three 2-week periods from 2010 to 2012.

Color-coding and human factors engineering to improve patient safety characteristics of paper-based emergency department clinical documentation.

Objective: Investigators studied an emergency department (ED) physical chart system and identified inconsistent, small font labeling; a single-color scheme; and an absence of human factors engineering (HFE) cues. A case study and description of the methodology with which surrogate measures of chart-related patient safety were studied and subsequently used to reduce latent hazards are presented.

Background: Medical records present a challenge to patient safety in EDs.

In situ simulation comparing in-hospital first responder sudden cardiac arrest resuscitation using semiautomated defibrillators and automated external defibrillators.

Introduction: Multifaceted approaches using simulation and human factors methods may optimize in-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) response. The Arrhythmia Simulation/Cardiac Event Nursing Training-Automated External Defibrillator phase (ASCENT-AED) study used in situ medical simulation to compare traditional and AED-supplemented SCA first-responder models.

Methods: The study was conducted at an academic 719-bed hospital with institutional review board approval.

High-fidelity medical simulation as a technique to improve pediatric residents' emergency airway management and teamwork: a pilot study.

Objective: High-fidelity medical simulation is a technique used for training residents. Simulation is used to teach procedural skills and teamwork. There are limited data on the efficacy of this educational technique.