A Study Of Intelligent Temperature System

ObjectiveThe study was aimed to design an Intelligent Temperature System (ITS) and to examine the time efficiency and accuracy of the ITS by experimental studies and to lay foundation for automation of clinical nursing.Materials & MethodsSubjectsThe first Lab Test:twenty nursing undergraduates from two grade levels (Grade 2004 and Grade 2005).The second Lab Test:eighteen nursing undergraduates from two grade levels (Grade 2006 and Grade 2007).Clinical Test:ten nurses from General Surgery of a hospital in Shandong Province.MethodsThe test cases, six virtual patients'information of body temperature for three consecutive days, were created. The nursing students were trained respectively which aimed to be familiar with experimental method, procedure, requirements, and to use ITS proficiently. After that, they collected, filled and modified these patients' information on standard temperature sheets in a laboratory setting by using the traditional manual approach and the ITS approach. The time spent on documentation and output errors were recorded.In the clinical setting, nurses were trained respectively to be familiar with experimental method, procedure, requirements, and to use ITS proficiently. Every day, there were two nurses involving in the experiment according to the duty roster, who collected, filled and modified these patients'information on standard temperature sheets by using the traditional manual approach and the ITS approach respectively. The time spent on documentation and the output errors were also recorded.Data analysisSPSS 15.0 For Windows was used. Descriptive analysis was performed on demography, performing time by the two approaches, error counts, improper counts and change counts.According to the Normality Test results, One-way ANOVA was used to compare the performing time by the two approaches; Man Whitney U test was employed to compare errors counts, improper counts and change counts by the two approaches. Chi-square analysis was used to compare the error rate, improper rate and change rate by the two approaches.One-way ANOVA was also used to compare the performing time by the two approaches between the two different grade levels and among the nurses from the different drawing years; Man Whitney U test was also employed to compare errors counts, improper counts and change counts by the two approaches between the two different grade levels. Chi-square analysis was also used to compare the error rate, improper rate and change rate by the two approaches between the two different grade levels.ResultsThe temperature sheets generated by the ITS approach were consistent with the regulatory documents and meet the clinical needs; The visual effect of the body temperature sheets produced by the two approaches were impressive; Significant differences were found between the manual and the ITS approach in respect of operating time, error counts and rate, improper counts and rate, change counts and rate.The operating time by the two approaches between students from the two academic levels and among the nurses from different drawing years had no significant differences. As for the manual approach, the error counts and rates, improper counts and rates and change counts and rates in documentation between students from the two academic levels had significant differences in the first lab test, but had no significant differences in the second lab test.ConclusionsCompared with the traditional manual approach, the ITS approach to collect data and then to generate temperature sheets is very effective for shortening the operating time and the occurrence of errors. This is of significance for the reduction of nursing workload and for the improvement of quality of temperature sheets.