Postgraduate Course: Human Factors in Critical Care (CRCA11006)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Clinical Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The term "human factors" is widely used in a range of high reliability domains including aviation, oil and gas production, and the nuclear industry. There is an emerging recognition of the importance of non-technical elements in the provision of safe and high-quality healthcare. In this course the individual components of human factors are surfaced and the factors which influence them, in the context of critical care, are explored. |
| Course description |
1) Academic Description
Human Factors can be viewed from several perspectives: scientific and ergonomic; clinical; humane. This course will allow the student to learn about, and reflect on, team working,
communication, prioritisation and planning, situation awareness and the implications of human factors science in Critical Care. Since decision making is such a ubiquitous and crucial component of the praxis of medicine emphasis will be given to learning more about this. It is complex, and multifaceted, and to understand it is to think about how we think, and what affects thinking. In order to make many clinical decisions in critical care we need understanding and knowledge of the predicted course of disease processes (diagnoses), including the effects of treatment, the effects of multiple morbidities, and the prognosis of acute illness. This course will signpost the need to consider the context of the decision making: from a patient or clinical team viewpoint, and from the perspective of time and place. Since the effects of affect may not be apparent or acknowledged, yet may be hugely important, a significant focus of learning will be around this. The importance of self-awareness in the caring human factors of empathy and compassion will be promoted.
2) Outline content
Several integral elements of Human Factors, and the complex interplay between them, will be explored throughout this course. Each week will introduce a new constituent of Human Factors, to help progress and deepen the students understanding. The student will be introduced to a framework for which they can approach, and analyse, complex healthcare systems within critical care. How the patient is triangulated through the interaction of these elements will be realised. The issue of error, error reporting, and learning from error will be explored. There will be specific emphasis on a sub category of Human Factors known as ¿non-technical skills¿. With a particular focus on decision making models, dual process theory, and the place of cognitive, affective and contextual bias. The evidence base for these will be reviewed. A final focus will be on how to optimally utilise this acquired knowledge to improve healthcare systems.
3) Student Learning Experience
Students will learn from subject matter experts in clinical decision making, team working and communication. A guided walk round the virtual ICU will allow the student to explore the geography and ergonomics and to examine issues of equipment and monitoring. There will be discussion on their local approach to admitting, accepting and reporting mistakes, errors and critical incidents. Classic papers will be reviewed. Along with pre-recorded and live tutorials, students will participate in expert-led discussion boards designed to explore understanding of the different Human Factors concepts. Collectively, these will all assist in building a reflective essay.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 3 |
| Course Start Date |
07/04/2025 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
98 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%
Key principles that will underpin assessment activities are evidence-based practice and the application of theory to clinical practice.
Assessment will consist of a combination of summative written assessment (e.g., a 2000-word essay) and formative online activities, including discussion board participation.
Details of the assignment specification will be provided in the virtual learning environment during the first week of the course's run
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| Feedback |
Opportunities for feedback arise during timetabled activities, for example during live session tutorials, interactive discussion boards, emails. Feedback will be provided on coursework assignments but also activities which are not formally assessed, for example class discussion on non-assessed discussion boards.
All assignments will be marked, and feedback is provided within a period of fifteen working days (where possible) following the submission date (excluding holidays periods whereby the University is closed, e.g. over the Christmas period). |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply the current and evolving principles of critical thinking to Human Factors
- Critically analyse the main theoretical models of decision making, and what influences them
- Critically reflect on the complex elements required to achieve both self-awareness and effective team working
- Recruit Human Factors to explain perceptive judgements in the presence of clinical uncertainty
- Develop a range of specialised practices, including checklist development, systems thinking, cognitive autopsy, and clinician support
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Reading List
Russ, Alissa L ; Fairbanks, Rollin J ; Karsh, Ben-Tzion ; Militello, Laura G ; Saleem, Jason J ; Wears, Robert L. The science of human factors: separating fact from fiction. BMJ quality & safety 22(10)2013-10-01802 - 808
Kelly, F.E. ; Frerk, C. ; Bailey, C.R. ; Cook, T.M. ; Ferguson, K. ; Flin, R. ; Fong, K. ; Groom, P. ; John, C. ; Lang, A.R. ; Meek, T.
; Miller, K.L. ; Richmond, L. ; Sevdalis, N. ; Stacey, M.R.
Implementing human factors in anaesthesia: guidance for clinicians, departments and hospitals : Guidelines from the Difficult Airway Society and the Association of Anaesthetists.
Anaesthesia 78(4)2023-04-01458 - 478
Carayon, P ; Schoofs Hundt, A ; Karsh, B-T ; Gurses, A P ; Alvarado, C J ; Smith, M ; Flatley Brennan, P. Work system design for patient safety: the SEIPS model. Quality & safety in health care 15(suppl 1)2006-12i50 - i58
Carayon, Pascale ; Wooldridge, Abigail ; Hoonakker, Peter ; Hundt, Ann Schoofs ; Kelly, Michelle M. SEIPS 3.0: Humancentered design of the patient journey for patient safety. Applied ergonomics 842020-04-01103033 - 103033
Wright, D ; Mackenzie, S.J ; Buchan, I ; Cairns, C.S ; Price, L.E.
Critical incidents in the intensive therapy unit. The Lancet
338(8768)1991-09-14676 - 678
Donchin, Yoel ; Gopher, Daniel ; Olin, Miriam ; Badihi,
Yehuda ; Biesky, Michal Rnb ; Sprung, Charles L. ; Pizov, Ruven ; Cotev, Shamay. A look into the nature and causes of
human errors in the intensive care unit. Critical Care
Medicine 23(2)1995-02294 - 300
Flin, R ; Patey, R ; Glavin, R ; Maran, N. Anaesthetists¿ nontechnical skills. British journal of anaesthesia : BJA 105(1)2010-0738 ¿ 44
Additional texts will be referred to at relevant points during the course. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
a) Mindsets:
Enquiry and lifelong learning:
Graduates of this course will be encouraged to pursue their own curiosity and to learn and develop in the field of critical care, to strive for excellence in their own professional practice, and to strive to improve care for patients as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Aspiration and personal development
Students will be encouraged to draw on their own experiences to identify areas in which they wish to grow and develop acknowledging that different students will have different priorities and aspirations.
Outlook and engagement
Students will be asked to bring to the course experiences from their own practice, often specifically relating to their own geographical and cultural context, that can be used to explore learning, engage with individuals from other international communities on the programme.
b) Skills:
Research and enquiry
Students will use and further develop newly acquired expertise in accessing the literature and critical appraisal, to incorporate the findings of primary research in their arguments, discussions, and assessments.
Personal and intellectual autonomy
Students will be encouraged to use their own personal and intellectual autonomy through their active participation in self-directed learning, discussion boards and collaborative activities to critically evaluate ideas evidence and experiences from an open-minded perspective.
Personal effectiveness
Success on the course will require students to be effective and proactive learners. Using the resources of the course tutors, and the university learning and information environment, students will be encouraged and supported to contribute to their own learning, as well as that of others.
Communication
Excellence in critical care is dependent on excellent communication, and the structure of the interactive (discussion boards and collaborative activities) and assessment elements incorporate constant reinforcement and development of this skill.
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| Keywords | communication,ergonomics,clinical human factors,humane factors,team working,non-technical skills |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Cameron Ferguson
Tel:
Email: v1cfer13@@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Kimberley Jamieson
Tel:
Email: kimberley.jamieson@ed.ac.uk |
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