Gaze metrics for efficient and safe operations of hemodialysis

Abstract

This paper presents an application of eye tracking approach to cognitive task analyses of hemodialysis operation conducted at real working places in a Japanese hospital. In the study a series of observations was performed, where three clinical engineers' gazes as well as their behavior was recorded for five consecutive months. Two of the engineers were novices who had just begun their work at the hospital a few days before the observation started. Another engineer was an expert who had more than sixteen years of experience. As a framework of cognitive task analysis, we developed a six gaze metrics that are closely connected with the cognitive aspects in efficient and safe operations of the hemodialysis. Trends of each novice engineer's information acquisition along with learning during a set-up task that is a part of hemodialysis operation were analyzed on the basis of the six gaze metrics. Several issues/implications on the novice engineers' adaptation to the hemodialysis operation task was discussed after the study.