Proposing a taxonomy and model of interruption

Interruptions not only decrease performance but can also cause human errors that lead to catastrophic events. Interruptions in high-risk industries such as aviation and nuclear power plants have been studied extensively because of catastrophic events such as power plant shut downs and plane crashes. In contrast, healthcare has a limited understanding of interruption despite the frequent occurrence of medical errors; often leading to adverse events and mortality. We reviewed and integrated previously published literature in healthcare to propose a taxonomy and model of interruptions. This taxonomy will help us categorize and understand interruptions in healthcare. The model depicts interrupted task performance and possible error states when resuming an interrupted task.