Interpersonal communication and public display tools in the emergency department

The use of public display tools in a collaborative work environment involving a variety of caregivers in the emergency department (ED) is essential when providing patient care. Xiao et al. (2001) have examined the interaction of caregivers with the non-computerized whiteboards in the trauma center operating room unit, and have found that there exist intrapersonal as well as interpersonal systems of communication. Computerized tools, such as virtual public displays that replace traditional whiteboards, may hinder or support communication between caregivers. In a different domain, Watts et al. (1996) have documented the existence and utility of "voice loops" in NASA space shuttle mission control. In this observational study, we examine the interpersonal communication between caregivers in the ED with public display tools, in order to reveal the role of public tools in collaborative work. Nurses, physicians, and mid-level providers will be shadowed, and communication events documented, for 48 hours across 12 shifts, in a large, tertiary care hospital, ED setting. Results will provide insight into the role that non-computerized tools play in interpersonal communication, and also implicate the importance of various roles in which future public display tools in such settings may need to integrate.