Human factors engineering ( HFE ) is an applied field of study that focuses on creating tools , devices , and systems that address human abilities , limits , and characteristics within an environment .”

responsibilities , a holistic assessment approach uncovered unforeseen system-level factors that affected practice and resulted in patient harm .

●Without clinical staff providing space and time between treatment shifts , EVS staff were unable to properly clean and disinfect the area and keep a vulnerable constellation of patients safe .

●When the dialysis clinical staff understood the importance of using the waiting room , patients were asked to comply with policy . The rationale was explained to patients and families as to the importance of infection prevention interventions to keep them , the patients , and the staff safe .

●This intervention allowed EVS staff to adequately clean and disinfect the treatment area and provide a safe environment for staff , patients , and visitors . The observations and implementation of human factors principles resulted in a palpable decrease in infections .

How can you apply HFE to your practice ? ✓ Remember that healthcare is a complex sociotechnical system that has component parts , and those parts work together . ✓ If you are responsible for addressing opportunities for improvement , consider a human-centered just-culture approach . ✓ If you are asked to be involved in finding a solution , have empathy for workers and include them in the investigation and formulation of potential solutions .

✓ Remember , if blame is considered the answer to a suboptimal outcome , the power to create positive and meaningful safety change evaporates .

Susan Singh , MPH , CIC , is an infection preventionist at ECRI . She has more than 16 years of infection prevention experience working at acutecare hospitals across the U . S ., both large academic facilities and smaller community hospitals . Prior to joining ECRI , Singh worked for a 400-plus bed community hospital in the Bronx , N . Y . as the director of infection control and epidemiology . During her time there , she was nominated by her hospital for the United Hospital Fund ’ s 2021 Quality Improvement Champions award for leading the Infection Control department through the COVID-19 pandemic . She also led several quality improvement efforts including the mitigation of Candida auris transmission in the ICU and on the chronic ventilator unit through a multidisciplinary approach . Singh holds a bachelor ’ s degree in biological sciences and a master ’ s of public health in community health . She has been certified in infection control ( CIC ) since 2013 .

Resource :

1 . AHRQ . PSNet . Health Care – Associated Infections . Sept . 7 , 2019 . https :// psnet . ahrq . gov / primer / health-care-associated-infections

The Infection Prevention Exchange

By MD-Medical Data Quality & Safety Advisors , LLC

The IPEX Bundle

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