%0 Journal Article
%T Understanding and Visualizing Multitasking and Task Switching Activities: A Time Motion Study to Capture Nursing Workflow
%A Amber L. Rosado
%A Elaina M. Migliore
%A Esther M. Chipps
%A Jacalyn Buck
%A Marcelo Lopetegui
%A Marjorie Kelley
%A Po-Yin Yen
%J Archive of "AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings".
%D 2016
%X A fundamental understanding of multitasking within nursing workflow is important in today¡¯s dynamic and complex healthcare environment. We conducted a time motion study to understand nursing workflow, specifically multitasking and task switching activities. We used TimeCaT, a comprehensive electronic time capture tool, to capture observational data. We established inter-observer reliability prior to data collection. We completed 56 hours of observation of 10 registered nurses. We found, on average, nurses had 124 communications and 208 hands-on tasks per 4-hour block of time. They multitasked (having communication and hands-on tasks simultaneously) 131 times, representing 39.48% of all times; the total multitasking duration ranges from 14.6 minutes to 109 minutes, 44.98 minutes (18.63%) on average. We also reviewed workflow visualization to uncover the multitasking events. Our study design and methods provide a practical and reliable approach to conducting and analyzing time motion studies from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333222/