The hostile environment of the intensive care unit
Abstract
Intensive care units (ICUs) were developed for patients with special needs and include an array of technology to support medical care. However, basic lessons in ergonomics, human factors, and human performance fail to propagate in this complex medical environment. Complicated, error-prone devices are commonly used. There are too many patient data for one person to process effectively. Lighting, ambient noise, and scheduling all result in provider and patient stress. These difficult working conditions make errors more probable and are risk factors for provider burnout and negative outcomes for patients. Auditory alarms on ICU equipment, ICU syndrome, and needle sticks are discussed as examples of such problems.
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Multiple alarms going off at the same time (cry wolf situations) have become the standard environment in the ICU.
“In the context where “cry wolf” situations with multiple alarms going off at the same time have become the standard environment in the ICU, this is an alarming insight [27].”
From Clinical requirements of future patient monitoring in the intensive care unit: qualitative study (2019) · cites this paper as [27]
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Clinical requirements of future patient monitoring in the intensive care unit: qualitative study
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- Authors
- Donchin, Y., & Seagull, F. J.
- Affiliations
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (US)
- Corresponding author
- Donchin, Yoel
- ORCID
- Seagull, F. Jacob
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Critical Care
- Published
- 2002-08
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 316-320
- ISSN
- 1070-5295 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2033877969
- Cited by
- 297
- References
- 17
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 3.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Critical Care (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Healthcare Technology and Patient Monitoring
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Emergency Medical Services › Patient Safety and Medication Errors
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
- Keywords
- ICU environment, human factors, medical device errors, provider burnout, ICU syndrome, auditory alerts, needlestick injuries, patient stress, background noise, lighting, work scheduling, patient safety
- MeSH terms
- Burnout, Professional, Critical Care, Health Facility Environment, Hospital Design and Construction, Humans, Ergonomics, Inpatients, Intensive Care Units, Monitoring, Physiologic, Personnel, Hospital, Risk Factors, Stress, Psychological, Workplace, Medical Errors
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