Exploring theatre safety using SenseMaker®
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can staff-generated micronarrative-based feedback support patient safety in a peri-operative service setting?
IRAS ID
269145
Contact name
Jean Uniacke
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
PSC-809, University of Leeds Research Ethics Committee
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 27 days
Research summary
“Micronarratives” are fragments of stories or short descriptions of experience that carry some special meaning for the originator. Emerging technologies for micronarrative capture and feedback are finding applications within a range of domains and settings, including health services. Their potential to provide real-time intelligence on issues such as operational safety or organisational culture through an active human sensor network has not been systematically investigated. We propose an evaluation of the local implementation of one such technology, SenseMaker®, which has been initiated in peri-operative services within Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. In the current version of the data collector, staff micronarratives are elicited using a free-text prompt which asks staff to submit a story concerning safety in theatres within the previous working week. The micronarratives are recorded on mobile devices (tablets) and as part of the SenseMaker® tool are self-signified (coded) by reporting staff using several dimensions relating to responsibility, action and decision-making. This project will adopt case study methodology to describe the local SenseMaker® initiative, followed by process evaluation based upon qualitative interviews with approximately 12 members of staff and development and piloting of a survey instrument to be completed by 40 members of staff at one time-point and re-analysis of routinely collected secondary data on quality of peri-operative care. Qualitative text from micronarratives submitted over the course of the programme will be thematically analysed using frameworks and prior theory from safety sciences and work psychology. Key categories of staff experience representing opportunities to enhance system resilience/safety or enhance other target outcomes will be reported and the potential value of the dataset for organisational learning and to support quality assurance processes will be assessed.
REC name
N/A
REC reference
N/A