J. M. Davies’s research while affiliated with University of Calgary and other places

We share lessons learned from a collaborative in situ simulation of Ebola preparedness for a large health region. The lessons are to use proactive analysis, undertake in situ simulation, and have professionals in infection prevention and control and those in human factors collaborate. These lessons are applicable as generalizable concepts, not only to Ebola preparedness but also to other infectious diseases, including the “next Ebola.” Implementing these concepts will help contribute to improvements in both patient and provider safety.

Human factors (HF) research has begun to determine how medical technology can be designed to minimize human error and increase safety. Relatively few studies have addressed common usability issues and design solutions of different types of intravenous (IV) infusion and patient controlled analgesia (PCA) pumps. Problems with both types of pumps have contributed to patients receiving the wrong fl uid, drug, or dose, sometimes with fatal results. Human factors methodology that can be employed to evaluate both IV and PCA pumps include Heuristic Analysis and Usability Testing. Results of our evaluations showed that all pumps studied had unique strengths and weaknesses affecting their usability and safety. These fi ndings illustrate the importance of pre-purchase HF analysis in the selection of medical devices. However, evaluation of medical devices does not end with purchasing. Rather, there is need for on-going and systematic surveillance, through implementation, use and replacement phases, as well as 'intelligent wariness' whenever medical devices are used in efforts to improve patient care.