Perceived Usefulness and Ease of Use of Wearable Sensor-Based Systems in Emergency Departments

Abstract

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Patients and nurses had positive reactions with respect to perceived usefulness and ease of use of a wireless wearable sensor-based system in two emergency departments. Results showed that patients' perceptions on the ease of use of the technology were more favorable and less variable than nurses' perception. The results are encouraging for the implementation of such technology in emergency department settings as they seem to promote the use of the technology for continuous monitoring of vital signs. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: The use of wearable sensor-based systems in healthcare settings has been proposed and implemented in previous studies. While their application seems promising, the perceived usefulness and ease of use of such systems have not been assessed in detail in emergency departments. User feedback is critical as it can determine the attitude toward using the technology and ultimately predict its success. Purpose: This article presents an empirical pilot study in which the perceived usefulness and ease of use of a wireless wearable sensor-based system was assessed from the perspective of patients and nurses in emergency departments. The wireless wearable sensors were used to monitor patients' heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, oxygen level, and blood pressure. Methods: The study was conducted in two clinical settings; a total of 40 patients and 20 nurses participated in the study. After a 30-minute use and testing period, patients provided feedback through a survey. Similarly, nurses were asked to provide their feedback after their experience with four patients. Results: Participants reported that the wearable sensor-based technology was very useful and easy to use. Results also showed that mean scores for perceived usefulness and ease of use were higher for patients. Conclusions: Overall, patients and nurses had positive reactions with respect to perceived usefulness and ease of use, which is encouraging for the implementation of such technology in emergency department settings. Although it is not possible to directly predict or infer the degree of acceptability, the results of this study provide a sense of how the prospective users would feel about the usefulness of continuous monitoring as well as the ease of use of the monitoring devices.