Michael Patkin's
website

Welcome

Surgery

Surgery & ergonomics

Ergonomics

Information design

Editorials, book reviews

 

 

 

ACORN 2004

In 2004 I was invited to give a standard talk of mine on the ergonomics and design of operating rooms by the Australian Council of OR Nurses at their annual conference. I took the opportunity to ask those present (about 65 in number) to write down their top three concerns on a piece of paper which was collected as they left the lecture room.

I used the same method of analysis previously described in analysing what surgeons would like changed in the ORs where they usualy worked.

Their complaints were similar to those of surgeons, but the differences were interesting, reflecting their differing roles in the OR.

Room for storage was a special concern. One can imagine the usual weekly planning meetings taking place, with the representative of hospital management saying a few weeks into the rocess that money and space wwere running short and something would need to be made smaller.

Without special thought for the implications, storage room was shrunk or displaced to be more distant. Only later would the resulting delays and other costs become apparent. This became much easier to argue for at recent planning meetings I have attended.

-o0o-

 

 

..