Development and evaluation of a sepsis risk early warning system user interface to be used in the neonatal intensive care unit

Neonatal sepsis is a condition that poses a significant threat to new-borns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and its early detection is a critical challenge due to the nonspecific symptoms associated with it. This thesis presents the design and evaluation of the user interface (UI) of the Digi-NewB system, which was developed to aid in the early diagnosis and management of neonatal sepsis. Utilizing a Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach, the research involved the iterative development of the UI and focused on usability, human factors, and the alignment with clinicians' workflow in NICUs. The research commenced with a comprehensive exploration of existing UIs in physiological monitors and wearable devices used in critical care settings. These chapters highlight the need for balancing innovation with familiarity and acknowledged the constraints of the critical care clinical environment. A significant outcome from this exploration was the realization that wearable technology, although promising, was not yet viable for integration into the Digi-NewB system. Furthermore, an international survey of clinicians informed the design of the UI, by emphasizing the importance of touchscreen interfaces and the preference for non-intrusive alarms. The survey also revealed a gap in formal training associated with existing patient monitors, leading to the development of an elearning platform for the Digi-NewB UI. This training platform was designed to address the need for flexible, comprehensive training methods for critical care clinicians. The thesis also describes the development of the Digi-NewB UI through iterative prototyping and evaluation. The thesis concludes by describing a usability evaluation of the Digi-NewB UI conducted in a high-fidelity simulation setting. This preliminary evaluation of the UI, involving NICU nurses, confirmed the effectiveness of the HCD approach, with the UI being positively received by the participants.

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University of Galway

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

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University of Galway Theses (PhD Theses)