THE NATURE OF HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY.
Contributors: University Of Illinois At Chicago, Health Sciences Center.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 176
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study identified the core categories composing the concept of human-machine interface in clinical nursing and also identified the relationships between them. Human-machine interface, an essential component of ergonomics, is particularly important in direct patient care because a patient, a nurse, and at least one machine share the same immediate physical environment.

Grounded theory was the research method used in this study. Forty-one patients hospitalized on five non-critical care units were selected from a convenience sample of alert and oriented patients who had a machine integral to their care in their immediate environment. Thirty-three staff nurses from the same five units and one related unit were randomly selected. All subjects participated in a semi-structured interview that was tape-recorded. Constant comparative analysis was used to organize and process the data collected.

The two core categories composing the concept of human-machine interface in clinical nursing practice were perceived neutrality and perceived non-neutrality. Patients perceived the machines used in their direct care as neutral because of their view of health care and because the nurse was the interface between them and the machines used in their care. Although patients identified machine factors that contributed to perceived neutrality and machine and human factors that threatened it, the professional competence of the staff nurse attenuated these factors and preserved the perceived neutrality.

Nurses perceived the machines used in the direct care of patients as non-neutral because of the impact of the machines on their professional competence. Nurses identified both machine and human factors contributing to perceived non-neutrality. Unlike the patient, the nurse interacted directly with the machine.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: B, page: 0704.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO, HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, 1987.

School code: 0806.