Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health and Social Care

In this first-of-a-kind book, four authors with solid pedigrees in practice and research in the field have come together to help explain what human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) is and how to do it. The book covers the key topics that comprise HF/E in practice, supporting the Healthcare Learning Pathway of the Chartered Institute ofErgonomics and Human Factors, and building in the professional competencies for practitioners. The result is a practical and readable book that will help readers upskill to membership of the CIEHF, so that they can help integrate HF/E in practice in their own organisation to help improve system performance and human well-being.

– Steven Shorrock, co-editor of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Practice, Adjunct Associate Professor, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia

This great ‘how-to’ book is an excellent reference for patient safety leaders and clinicians interested in applying human factors principles in their operational safety work. It is also valuable for human factors professionals working in the healthcare domain. The structure of the book makes it easy to use with chapters covering thebasic concepts of safety, which are all made operationally relevant and applied to practice.

– Rollin J. ‘Terry’ Fairbanks, Senior Vice President, Chief Quality and Safety Officer, MedStar Health

At last, a book about Human Factors & Ergonomics (HF/E) in healthcare written by chartered professionals who are highly experienced in related research, education, and practice and have a particular focus on patient safety. This fantastic offering makes a huge contribution to outlining both foundational and more advanced HF/E principles, concepts and methods that healthcare leaders, practitioners, educators, scientists, risk, safety and improvement advisors and many others can readily apply. Importantly, this timely contribution lays all of this out in a very readable and accessible fashion, with the welcome bonus that it provides much-needed practical guidance on the purpose and approach of HF/E which is sometimes misunderstood in healthcare. This is a must-read for everyone with a strong interest in improving organisational performance and the wellbeing of people who work in, and use, healthcare services.

– Paul Bowie, Programme Director (Safety & Improvement), NHS Education for Scotland

Mark Sujan is Professor of Safety Science at the University of York and a Senior Investigation Science Educator at the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). He is a Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF) and Managing Director of Human Factors Everywhere. The company provides ergonomics input to applied research projects and offers consultancy and training in ergonomics across a range of safety-critical industries. Mark is a Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, and he leads the Institute’s special interest group on Digital Health & Artificial Intelligence.

Laura Pickup is the Head of Human Factors at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston. She is a Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF) and a Director of Theemis Consulting, which provides independent healthcare investigations, service reviews and applied research in healthcare. Laura works across an NHS Trust and independently to understand and address patient safety issues. She has considerable experience in the development of Human Factors methods, which inform physical and cognitive work and device design.

Helen Vosper is the Lead for Patient Safety at the University of Aberdeen and a Senior Investigation Science Educator at the Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB). She is also a Scientific Advisor in Human Factors and Patient Safety at NHS Education for Scotland. She is a Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF) and a Principal Fellow Advance HE (PFHEA).

Ken Catchpole is the SmartState Endowed Chair in Clinical Practice and Human Factors at the Medial University of South Carolina. He is a clinically embedded research practitioner who has been applying human factors principles to improve safety and performance in acute care since 2003. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles related to patient safety and human factors, while working alongside clinicians at the front line to understand everyday challenges and address a broad range of reliability, safety and performance concerns from a human-centred perspective. Ken is a Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF) and a Fellow of the International Ergonomics Association.