Presentation
PS11 - Right Side, Right Limb: Ensuring Proper Disposable Gown Use in Diagnostic Radiology to Enhance Patient Safety and Experience
SessionPoster Session 1
DescriptionRadiological scans allow doctors to diagnose conditions that are invisible to the naked eye. The Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Department of Diagnostic Radiology (DDR) conducts over 600,000 radiographic examinations annually, facilitating accurate diagnoses and timely treatments.
In the DDR, some scans require patients to change into disposable gowns to prevent interference or obstruction during the procedure. Although changing one’s attire is a simple daily activity, doing so with disposable gowns often presents a challenge. Due to the unique design of the gown, which differs from their usual attire, medical staff have frequently observed patients leaving the changing room with their gowns worn incorrectly. This not only causes delays as patients correct their attire but also leads to frustration and confusion about how to wear the gown properly. Furthermore, incorrect gown usage can compromise patient safety, as the gown serves as a lateral identifier during upper limb scans.
The current disposable gown design at SGH requires patients to place their hands through three openings, two of which are sleeves. To aid in scanning the right upper limb, the right sleeve is marked with a different color and labelled with the letter 'R.' Since most patients change into these gowns independently in the changing rooms, where pictorial instructions are provided on the walls, confusion often arises due to cognitive dissonance caused by the gown's third opening for the upper limbs.
Additionally, according to cultivation theory, the influence of infotainment on perceptions of how hospital gowns should be worn can interfere with a patient’s mental model, i.e. wearing with the gown forward in, and arms reaching out front. As a result, some patients exit the changing room with the gown worn incorrectly, such as placing the left arm through the right sleeve, leading to lateral misidentification.
To effectively address this challenge, human factors specialists were consulted to provide insights on reducing errors and enhancing patient safety. After discussions and observations of how patients interact with the gown, the team recommended the following design changes:
(a) Include a ‘size’ label at the back of the neck rim, similar to a standard shirt, to align with users’ mental model of typical attire, clearly indicating the front and back of the gown.
(b) To eliminate the cognitive dissonance caused by the third opening, the non-sleeved opening is redesigned as a flap rather than a hole, maintaining its function while reducing confusion.
(c) Relocate the securing straps to the front, with one strap significantly longer than the other to afford for easy wrapping around the body and tying in the front, eliminating the need to tie at the back.
(d) Enhance the contrast and prominence of the 'R' on the right sleeve to improve visibility and clarity.
(e) Update the infographic in the changing room to show as a Mirror image, allowing patients to directly mirror-match the correct way to wear the gown.
A low-fidelity mock-up using an existing gown was tested with elderly users to gather feedback. The responses were generally positive, as the modifications aligned with users’ mental models of their everyday attire. The team is now moving forward with the creation of a refined kit for further user testing and feedback.
In the DDR, some scans require patients to change into disposable gowns to prevent interference or obstruction during the procedure. Although changing one’s attire is a simple daily activity, doing so with disposable gowns often presents a challenge. Due to the unique design of the gown, which differs from their usual attire, medical staff have frequently observed patients leaving the changing room with their gowns worn incorrectly. This not only causes delays as patients correct their attire but also leads to frustration and confusion about how to wear the gown properly. Furthermore, incorrect gown usage can compromise patient safety, as the gown serves as a lateral identifier during upper limb scans.
The current disposable gown design at SGH requires patients to place their hands through three openings, two of which are sleeves. To aid in scanning the right upper limb, the right sleeve is marked with a different color and labelled with the letter 'R.' Since most patients change into these gowns independently in the changing rooms, where pictorial instructions are provided on the walls, confusion often arises due to cognitive dissonance caused by the gown's third opening for the upper limbs.
Additionally, according to cultivation theory, the influence of infotainment on perceptions of how hospital gowns should be worn can interfere with a patient’s mental model, i.e. wearing with the gown forward in, and arms reaching out front. As a result, some patients exit the changing room with the gown worn incorrectly, such as placing the left arm through the right sleeve, leading to lateral misidentification.
To effectively address this challenge, human factors specialists were consulted to provide insights on reducing errors and enhancing patient safety. After discussions and observations of how patients interact with the gown, the team recommended the following design changes:
(a) Include a ‘size’ label at the back of the neck rim, similar to a standard shirt, to align with users’ mental model of typical attire, clearly indicating the front and back of the gown.
(b) To eliminate the cognitive dissonance caused by the third opening, the non-sleeved opening is redesigned as a flap rather than a hole, maintaining its function while reducing confusion.
(c) Relocate the securing straps to the front, with one strap significantly longer than the other to afford for easy wrapping around the body and tying in the front, eliminating the need to tie at the back.
(d) Enhance the contrast and prominence of the 'R' on the right sleeve to improve visibility and clarity.
(e) Update the infographic in the changing room to show as a Mirror image, allowing patients to directly mirror-match the correct way to wear the gown.
A low-fidelity mock-up using an existing gown was tested with elderly users to gather feedback. The responses were generally positive, as the modifications aligned with users’ mental models of their everyday attire. The team is now moving forward with the creation of a refined kit for further user testing and feedback.
Event Type
Poster Presentation
TimeMonday, March 314:45pm - 6:15pm EDT
LocationFrontenac Foyer
Digital Health (DH)
Simulation and Education (SE)
Hospital Environments (HE)
Medical and Drug Delivery Devices (MDD)
Patient Safety and Research Initiatives (PS)