Understanding the Impact on Intensive Care Staff Workflow Due to the Introduction of a Critical Care Information System: A Mixed Methods Research Methodology

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a complex and dynamic tertiary care environment that requires health care providers to balance many competing tasks and responsibilities. Inefficient and interruption-driven workflow is believed to increase the likelihood of medical errors and, therefore, present a serious risk to patients in the ICU. The introduction of a Critical Care Information System (CCIS), is purported to result in fewer medical errors and better patient care by streamlining workflow. Little objective research, however, has investigated these assertions. This paper reports on the design of a research methodology to explore the impact of a CCIS on the workflow of Respiratory Therapists, Pediatric Intensivists, Nurses, and Unit Clerks in a Pediatric ICU (PICU) and a General Systems ICU (GSICU) in Northern Canada.