Research

Investigating the Technological Contributors to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Team’s Fatigue and Burnout

Purpose: This study will identify technological contributors to nurses’ and physicians’ fatigue and burnout in the Houston Methodist Hospital ICU. Nurses and physicians will be observed while wearing eye tracking glasses designed to show observers exactly what nurses and physicians are looking at in real time as they move freely in health care settings. A fatigue-detection wearable system developed at Texas A&M University will also be used to monitor fatigue levels.

Potential Impact: The study will uncover issues with workflow, communication patterns, and visual distractions in the ICU. From these findings, processes will be enacted to eliminate all unnecessary distractions in order to decrease burnout and reduce turnover among ICU personnel.

Research Team:

• Bita Kash, PhD, MBA, FACHE 
• Faisal Masud, MD, FCCP, FCCM 
• Farzan Sasangohar, PhD

Designing Systems to Prevent Physician and Nurse Burnout

Potential Impact: The results from this study will provide system leadership with evidence-based interventions, such as exposure to nature in the workplace that will significantly and effectively reduce stress and burnout among physicians. Interventions will be designed that can be built into the physician environment. There is an opportunity to design a system that promotes physician and nurse wellness without adding on additional tasks or resiliency training on the already overworked clinician.

Research Team:

• Christof Karmonik, PhD 
• Bita Kash, PhD, MBA, FACHE 
• Robert A. Phillips, MD, PhD, FACC 
• Farzan Sasangohar, PhD