TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding and Visualizing Multitasking and Task Switching Activities
T2 - A Time Motion Study to Capture Nursing Workflow
AU - Yen, Po Yin
AU - Kelley, Marjorie
AU - Lopetegui, Marcelo
AU - Rosado, Amber L.
AU - Migliore, Elaina M.
AU - Chipps, Esther M.
AU - Buck, Jacalyn
PY - 2016/1/1
Y1 - 2016/1/1
N2 - A fundamental understanding of multitasking within nursing workflow is important in today's dynamic and complex healthcare environment. We conducted a time motion study to understand nursing workflow, specifically multitasking and task switching activities. We used TimeCaT, a comprehensive electronic time capture tool, to capture observational data. We established inter-observer reliability prior to data collection. We completed 56 hours of observation of 10 registered nurses. We found, on average, nurses had 124 communications and 208 hands-on tasks per 4-hour block of time. They multitasked (having communication and hands-on tasks simultaneously) 131 times, representing 39.48% of all times; the total multitasking duration ranges from 14.6 minutes to 109 minutes, 44.98 minutes (18.63%) on average. We also reviewed workflow visualization to uncover the multitasking events. Our study design and methods provide a practical and reliable approach to conducting and analyzing time motion studies from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives.
AB - A fundamental understanding of multitasking within nursing workflow is important in today's dynamic and complex healthcare environment. We conducted a time motion study to understand nursing workflow, specifically multitasking and task switching activities. We used TimeCaT, a comprehensive electronic time capture tool, to capture observational data. We established inter-observer reliability prior to data collection. We completed 56 hours of observation of 10 registered nurses. We found, on average, nurses had 124 communications and 208 hands-on tasks per 4-hour block of time. They multitasked (having communication and hands-on tasks simultaneously) 131 times, representing 39.48% of all times; the total multitasking duration ranges from 14.6 minutes to 109 minutes, 44.98 minutes (18.63%) on average. We also reviewed workflow visualization to uncover the multitasking events. Our study design and methods provide a practical and reliable approach to conducting and analyzing time motion studies from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85028284725&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 28269924
AN - SCOPUS:85028284725
SN - 1559-4076
VL - 2016
SP - 1264
EP - 1273
JO - AMIA ... Annual Symposium proceedings. AMIA Symposium
JF - AMIA ... Annual Symposium proceedings. AMIA Symposium
ER -