Connecting the patient to a sensor

What to check about the user's risks about connecting the patient to the alarm system

The usability failure mode

Recommended protection

Validation

Disturbing alarm signals during connecting

If during connecting the patient to the sensors the alarm is on, the user is liable get distracted, and consequently to err.

User control over the alarm state

The user should be able to mute the alarm during connection, and to enable it when finished.

Functional testing:

  1. Assign a patient
  2. Connect a sensor to the patient
  3. Mute the alarm.

Forgetting the alarm Off

After connecting the patient to a sensor, the user might forget to enable the sound alarm.

Ensure that the users realize the alarm mode

The system should always check if the patient is connected, and if the patient is connected to at east one sensor, it should notify when the alarm is muted.

Functional testing:

  1. Repeat the procedure above for all sensors
  2. Make sure that the system provides an alarm reminder

Disturbing alarm reminder signals during connecting

If the alarm reminder is on during connecting to the sensors, the users are likely to make mistakes.

Silent alarm reminder

The alarm reminder should be visual only, and it should be visible from all around the patient.

Usability testing:

  1. Repeat the procedure above
  2. Make sure that users notice that the alarm is muted

 

Missed connection

The user might forget or fail to connect the patient to a sensor

Connection overview

The default interaction screen should be an overview showing the status of all connections

Usability testing:

Check that the users visualize properly the connection state of all sensors.

Connection failure

The connection to a sensor might fail

Connection reminder

The system should notify in case of disconnection from a sensor

Functional testing:

  1. Repeat the procedure above
  2. Disconnect a sensor
  3. Verify that the system notify about the disconnected sensor

Disturbing connection reminders

The user might respond to connection reminders as if these are false alarms

Non-disturbing indicators of disconnected sensors

The notification about the disconnected sensor should be silent for sensors used for indicating medium-risk alarm conditions and provide non-disturbing sound for high-risk alarm conditions

Usability testing:

  1. Repeat the procedure above
  2. Verify that the system notification is not disturbing