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This infographic on Good Work Design by the Chartered Institute for Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF) outlines how a three-phase, human-centric approach to designing work can result in work that people enjoy and can excel at. It lists the elements of what good work looks like to ensure both the organisation and its workers can improve performance. To go alongside the infographic, the authors presented a webinar examining how to design good work and looking at the some of the strategies involved.

The Association for Anaesthetists have produced some 'top tips' for night shift workers. What tips do you have to keep you feeling well overnight?

Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) approaches to patient safety have addressed five different domains: usability of technology; human error and its role in patient safety; the role of healthcare worker performance in patient safety; system resilience; and HFE systems approaches to patient safety. This paper from the British Medical Journal, describes specific examples of HFE-based interventions for patient safety. Studies show that HFE can be used in a variety of domains.

Diane Vaughan is an American sociologist who devoted most of her time on topics such as 'deviance in organisations'. One of Vaughan's theories regarding misconduct within large organisations is the normalisation of deviance. Here, she uses healthcare to explain how harmful behaviours can become normalised and offers up solutions.  Social normalisation of deviance means that people within the organisation become so much accustomed to a deviant behaviour that they don’t consider it as deviant, despite the fact they exceed their own rules for the elementary safety. People grow more accustomed to the deviant behaviour the more it occurs . To people outside of the organisation, the activities seem deviant; however, people within the organisation do not recognise the deviance because it is seen as a normal occurrence. In hindsight, people within the organisation realise that their seemingly normal behaviour was deviant. Diane Vaughan uses healthcare to illustrate why deviance is normalised in companies. She gives four major reasons why it happens: "The rules are stupid and inefficient." System operators will often invent shortcuts or workarounds when the rule, regulation, or standard seems irrational or inefficient. Knowledge is imperfect and uneven. System operators might not know that a particular rule or standard exists; or, they might have been taught a system deviation without realising it. "I’m breaking the rule for the good of my patient!" This justification for rule deviation is where the rule or standard is perceived as counterproductive. Workers are afraid to speak up. The likelihood that rule violations will become normalised increases if those who witness them refuse to intervene. Yet, studies show that people feel it is difficult or impossible to speak up. Solutions Vaughan offers the following suggestions for helping to prevent deviant behaviours from becoming normalised: Education is the best solution for the normalisation of deviance. Diane Vaughn states, "the ignorance of what is going on is organisational and prevents any attempt to stop the unfolding harm." Being clear about standards and rewarding whistleblowers is part of the education that should take place. A company must be transparent about their standards and consequences of not meeting them. Also, creating a culture that is less individualistic and more team-based is helpful to stop the normalisation of deviance. Each person should be looking out for the company and team as a whole. If it were more team-based, each person would feel like they were letting their colleagues down if they were to break the rules. A top-down approach is very important. If the employees see executives breaking rules, they will feel it is normal in the company's culture. Normalisation of deviance is easier to prevent than to correct. Companies must make sure they take the correct steps to prevent it.

In this blog published in the New York Times, Theresa Brown explains why American healthcare has become one giant workaround.  "The nurses were hiding drugs above a ceiling tile in the hospital — not because they were secreting away narcotics, but because the hospital pharmacy was slow, and they didn’t want patients to have to wait." These 'work arounds ' pose a significant patient safety risk. What work around problems do you have in your department? Theresa Brown is a clinical faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing.

The process of clinical consultation defines diagnosis and is crucial to patient safety and patient outcomes However the process is frequently weak resulting in care erring off path. These indicators (taken from a paper in Postgraduate Medical Journal) could provide a way to identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.

Professor Brennan gives his ten top tips to improve wellbeing, team working and improved patient safety. Professor Brennan is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and a Consultant Surgeon at Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth.

Human Factors Cast is a podcast that investigates the sciences of psychology, engineering, biomechanics, industrial design, physiology and anthropometry and how it affects our interaction with technology. Hosted by Nick Roome and Blake Arnsdorff.

This webinar was organised by the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF) in partnership with the Israel Human Factors and Ergonomics Association (IHFEA). It looks at the impact of human factors in the design and use of a range of medical devices. Experts from Israel, the Netherlands and the UK share their insights about the challenges involved and how they were overcome. In her talk, Avital Zik shares examples from her experience in leading the human factors work of the Medtronic Lung Navigation system. Lung cancer care is currently invasive, ineffective, inefficient, difficult for users and often comes too late. Avital's team is on a mission is to transform the future of lung care.