Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting
Introduction: Patients who are hospitalized may be at a higher risk for falling, which can result in additional injuries, longer hospitalizations, and extra cost for healthcare organizations. A frequent context for these falls is when a hospitalized patient needs to use the bathroom. While it is pos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2024.1295679/full |
| _version_ | 1797338089168830464 |
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| author | Hannah Rafferty Cameron Cretaro Nicholas Arfanis Andrew Moore Douglas Pong Stephanie Tulk Jesso Stephanie Tulk Jesso |
| author_facet | Hannah Rafferty Cameron Cretaro Nicholas Arfanis Andrew Moore Douglas Pong Stephanie Tulk Jesso Stephanie Tulk Jesso |
| author_sort | Hannah Rafferty |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Patients who are hospitalized may be at a higher risk for falling, which can result in additional injuries, longer hospitalizations, and extra cost for healthcare organizations. A frequent context for these falls is when a hospitalized patient needs to use the bathroom. While it is possible that “high-tech” tools like robots and AI applications can help, adopting a human-centered approach and engaging users and other affected stakeholders in the design process can help to maximize benefits and avoid unintended consequences.Methods: Here, we detail our findings from a human-centered design research effort to investigate how the process of toileting a patient can be ameliorated through the application of advanced tools like robots and AI. We engaged healthcare professionals in interviews, focus groups, and a co-creation session in order to recognize common barriers in the toileting process and find opportunities for improvement.Results: In our conversations with participants, who were primarily nurses, we learned that toileting is more than a nuisance for technology to remove through automation. Nurses seem keenly aware and responsive to the physical and emotional pains experienced by patients during the toileting process, and did not see technology as a feasible or welcomed substitute. Instead, nurses wanted tools which supported them in providing this care to their patients. Participants envisioned tools which helped them anticipate and understand patient toileting assistance needs so they could plan to assist at convenient times during their existing workflows. Participants also expressed favorability towards mechanical assistive features which were incorporated into existing equipment to ensure ubiquitous availability when needed without adding additional mass to an already cramped and awkward environment.Discussion: We discovered that the act of toileting served more than one function, and can be viewed as a valuable touchpoint in which nurses can assess, support, and encourage their patients to engage in their own recovery process as they perform a necessary and normal function of life. While we found opportunities for technology to make the process safer and less burdensome for patients and clinical staff alike, we believe that designers should preserve and enhance the therapeutic elements of the nurse-patient interaction rather than eliminate it through automation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:26:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7488de17f3054ca9a9d2f933dc22d204 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:26:00Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| spelling | doaj.art-7488de17f3054ca9a9d2f933dc22d2042024-01-31T09:29:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Robotics and AI2296-91442024-01-011110.3389/frobt.2024.12956791295679Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toiletingHannah Rafferty0Cameron Cretaro1Nicholas Arfanis2Andrew Moore3Douglas Pong4Stephanie Tulk Jesso5Stephanie Tulk Jesso6Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesSystems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesSystems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesSystems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesSystems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesSystems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesHuman-Centered Mindful Technologies Lab, Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, SUNY Binghamton, Vestal, NY, United StatesIntroduction: Patients who are hospitalized may be at a higher risk for falling, which can result in additional injuries, longer hospitalizations, and extra cost for healthcare organizations. A frequent context for these falls is when a hospitalized patient needs to use the bathroom. While it is possible that “high-tech” tools like robots and AI applications can help, adopting a human-centered approach and engaging users and other affected stakeholders in the design process can help to maximize benefits and avoid unintended consequences.Methods: Here, we detail our findings from a human-centered design research effort to investigate how the process of toileting a patient can be ameliorated through the application of advanced tools like robots and AI. We engaged healthcare professionals in interviews, focus groups, and a co-creation session in order to recognize common barriers in the toileting process and find opportunities for improvement.Results: In our conversations with participants, who were primarily nurses, we learned that toileting is more than a nuisance for technology to remove through automation. Nurses seem keenly aware and responsive to the physical and emotional pains experienced by patients during the toileting process, and did not see technology as a feasible or welcomed substitute. Instead, nurses wanted tools which supported them in providing this care to their patients. Participants envisioned tools which helped them anticipate and understand patient toileting assistance needs so they could plan to assist at convenient times during their existing workflows. Participants also expressed favorability towards mechanical assistive features which were incorporated into existing equipment to ensure ubiquitous availability when needed without adding additional mass to an already cramped and awkward environment.Discussion: We discovered that the act of toileting served more than one function, and can be viewed as a valuable touchpoint in which nurses can assess, support, and encourage their patients to engage in their own recovery process as they perform a necessary and normal function of life. While we found opportunities for technology to make the process safer and less burdensome for patients and clinical staff alike, we believe that designers should preserve and enhance the therapeutic elements of the nurse-patient interaction rather than eliminate it through automation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2024.1295679/fullhuman-centered designroboticsAIaccidental fallsfalls preventionhospital |
| spellingShingle | Hannah Rafferty Cameron Cretaro Nicholas Arfanis Andrew Moore Douglas Pong Stephanie Tulk Jesso Stephanie Tulk Jesso Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting Frontiers in Robotics and AI human-centered design robotics AI accidental falls falls prevention hospital |
| title | Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting |
| title_full | Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting |
| title_fullStr | Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting |
| title_short | Towards human-centered AI and robotics to reduce hospital falls: finding opportunities to enhance patient-nurse interactions during toileting |
| title_sort | towards human centered ai and robotics to reduce hospital falls finding opportunities to enhance patient nurse interactions during toileting |
| topic | human-centered design robotics AI accidental falls falls prevention hospital |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2024.1295679/full |
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