Research Article

Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study

Volume: 11 Number: EK-1 May 1, 2020
  • Ilker Akbaş
  • Abdullah Osman Koçak
  • Fatma Özlem Çaylak
  • Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür
  • Meryem Betos Koçak
  • Zeynep Çakır
TR EN

Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Aim: Emergency medicine is the most important hospital unit where the time usage should be efficient. Even a little time lost here can endanger the lives of patients. Employees should not lose their concentration and evaluate patients who come very carefully. However, it should not be forgotten that employees are interrupted in some cases. For example, an incoming text message to the doctor at the time of service may interrupt his/her work. Researches in the literature show that doctors and other emergency service employees are frequently interrupted during their shifts. Aim: It was aimed to determine the interruptions experienced by the physicians working in the emergency department during their shifts. The causes and consequences of these interruptions were also examined. Material and Method: This is a cross-sectional observational study. The physicians working in the emergency room will be monitored during their work by two researchers. Causes of interruption, duration of interruption, time interval, emergency room occupancy rate, the doctor’s work during the interruption, management of the interruption was recorded. Results: 21 physicians were observed for 72 hours, physicians in the emergency services have been interrupted for 1975 times in 72 hours. It showed that there were 5.8 interruptions per hour. The total interruption was 469.05 minutes. The most common interruption reason has found as telephones in the study. Interruptions usually occurred when the doctors were examining the results of a patient. Conclusion: Interruptions are one of the basic problems of the emergency services and they are the main factors of medical mistakes. The doctors should never try to be multi-tasked and they should respond the interruption after finishing their work.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Clinical Sciences

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Ilker Akbaş This is me
Türkiye

Abdullah Osman Koçak This is me
Türkiye

Fatma Özlem Çaylak This is me
Türkiye

Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür This is me
Türkiye

Meryem Betos Koçak This is me
Türkiye

Zeynep Çakır This is me
Türkiye

Publication Date

May 1, 2020

Submission Date

March 27, 2020

Acceptance Date

August 8, 2020

Published in Issue

Year 2021 Volume: 11 Number: EK-1

APA
Akbaş, I., Koçak, A. O., Çaylak, F. Ö., Akgöl Gür, S. T., Koçak, M. B., & Çakır, Z. (2020). Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences, 11(EK-1), 131-137. https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE
AMA
1.Akbaş I, Koçak AO, Çaylak FÖ, Akgöl Gür ST, Koçak MB, Çakır Z. Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020;11(EK-1):131-137. https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE
Chicago
Akbaş, Ilker, Abdullah Osman Koçak, Fatma Özlem Çaylak, Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür, Meryem Betos Koçak, and Zeynep Çakır. 2020. “Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study”. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences 11 (EK-1): 131-37. https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE.
EndNote
Akbaş I, Koçak AO, Çaylak FÖ, Akgöl Gür ST, Koçak MB, Çakır Z (May 1, 2020) Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences 11 EK-1 131–137.
IEEE
[1]I. Akbaş, A. O. Koçak, F. Ö. Çaylak, S. T. Akgöl Gür, M. B. Koçak, and Z. Çakır, “Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study”, Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences, vol. 11, no. EK-1, pp. 131–137, May 2020, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE
ISNAD
Akbaş, Ilker - Koçak, Abdullah Osman - Çaylak, Fatma Özlem - Akgöl Gür, Sultan Tuna - Koçak, Meryem Betos - Çakır, Zeynep. “Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study”. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences 11/EK-1 (May 1, 2020): 131-137. https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE.
JAMA
1.Akbaş I, Koçak AO, Çaylak FÖ, Akgöl Gür ST, Koçak MB, Çakır Z. Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020;11:131–137.
MLA
Akbaş, Ilker, et al. “Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study”. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences, vol. 11, no. EK-1, May 2020, pp. 131-7, https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE.
Vancouver
1.Ilker Akbaş, Abdullah Osman Koçak, Fatma Özlem Çaylak, Sultan Tuna Akgöl Gür, Meryem Betos Koçak, Zeynep Çakır. Workplace Interruptions in Emergency Department, Causes, Management and Results: A Pilot Study. Kafkas Journal of Medical Sciences [Internet]. 2020 May 1;11(EK-1):131-7. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA48SX34FE