Heart Rate Variability for Practitioner Stimulated Reflection and Decision-making Optimisation

At the heart of healthcare is the interaction between healthcare practitioners and patients. It is believed that optimisation of this interaction can improve patient relevant outcomes, safety and patient experience. Through utilisation of practitioner physiological data, heart rate variability (HRV), to help practitioners make better decisions and optimise practice, it is considered possible to improve decision making around patient care and improve outcomes and safety.

The modern intensive care unit (ICU) is a dynamic data rich environment requiring rapid and accurate decision making. Advances in ventilator technology, electronic patient monitoring and electronic health records (EHR) have provided exponential growth in data produced for patients and the need for complex decision making. However, data overload and alarm fatigue can result in poor understanding and a delayed response from the practitioner in addressing the patient's needs.

The aim of this study is to present and evaluate a psychophysiology training approach for practitioners derived from their cardiovascular response through the course of the working day, this will be measured using heart rate variability (HRV). Practitioner HRV has been shown to be linked to work related stress and is considered a biomarker of decision-making.