Using design research and human‐centered design to address growing pains in a busy, urban emergency department: a faculty, clinician, and student collaboration between nursing, design, and medicine
Dublin Core
Title
Using design research and human‐centered design to address growing pains in a busy, urban emergency department: a faculty, clinician, and student collaboration between nursing, design, and medicine
Subject
Design thinking, Human-centered design, Emergency medicine, Materials management, Design, Emergency department operations
Description
In 2021, a large urban university-based hospital transitioned to a new two-floor emergency department. Despite
the new environment, there were usability and workflow challenges with the space. The authors of this paper created
a multidisciplinary, human-centered design collaborative of clinicians, university faculty, and students in an effort
to increase emergency department efficiency. After thorough design-research and clinician-focused collaboration,
the authors and design team identified the need to improve medical supply retrieval time, which directly impacts
patient care and clinician satisfaction. The primary interventions consisted of a redesign that is as follows: (a) created
standardized icons related to organ system, (b) increased visibility of supply labels, and (c) reorganized supplies based
on usage data. Although a successful project, it was not without several barriers discussed in this article, includ-
ing design researcher and clinician-level setting and engagement, academic/institutional policies, and conflicting
schedules. In addition, the lessons learned from implementing human-centered design concepts into clinical work-
flow sets forth future research opportunities and inspiration for other institutions to collaborate.
Keywords Design thinking, Human-centered design, Emergency medicine, Materials management, Design,
Emergency department operations
the new environment, there were usability and workflow challenges with the space. The authors of this paper created
a multidisciplinary, human-centered design collaborative of clinicians, university faculty, and students in an effort
to increase emergency department efficiency. After thorough design-research and clinician-focused collaboration,
the authors and design team identified the need to improve medical supply retrieval time, which directly impacts
patient care and clinician satisfaction. The primary interventions consisted of a redesign that is as follows: (a) created
standardized icons related to organ system, (b) increased visibility of supply labels, and (c) reorganized supplies based
on usage data. Although a successful project, it was not without several barriers discussed in this article, includ-
ing design researcher and clinician-level setting and engagement, academic/institutional policies, and conflicting
schedules. In addition, the lessons learned from implementing human-centered design concepts into clinical work-
flow sets forth future research opportunities and inspiration for other institutions to collaborate.
Keywords Design thinking, Human-centered design, Emergency medicine, Materials management, Design,
Emergency department operations
Creator
Mikael L. Avery1*, Jacquelyn L. Arena2
, Nicholas D. Benson2
, Neil A. Ray2 and Marion Leary1
, Nicholas D. Benson2
, Neil A. Ray2 and Marion Leary1
Source
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-024-00586-5
Date
2024
Contributor
Peri Irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Collection
Citation
Mikael L. Avery1*, Jacquelyn L. Arena2
, Nicholas D. Benson2
, Neil A. Ray2 and Marion Leary1, “Using design research and human‐centered design to address growing pains in a busy, urban emergency department: a faculty, clinician, and student collaboration between nursing, design, and medicine,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed April 11, 2026, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/12259.