Current projects: Innovations in Health Care

The acceptability and usability of a robot in the acute clinical setting

Investigators: Wendy Smyth, Anne Elvin, Christine McIntosh, Cate Nagle, Melanie Birks

Robots are currently being used for a variety of functions with health services however there acceptability, and actual and potential usability in the clinical setting in providing information is yet to be established.

The objectives of the mixed methods study are to:

• assess the experiences of patients and staff to installation of the robot in a healthcare setting
• observe the reactions of patients and staff to installation of the robot in a healthcare setting determine nursing and midwifery staff attitudes to the opportunities and challenges to the use of robots within the healthcare setting.
• assess the attitudes of nurses and midwives to the introduction a robot into the health care setting

Project status: Data analysis and reporting

Contact: Wendy Smyth

Investigators: Wendy Smyth, Anne Elvin, Christine McIntosh, Cate Nagle, Melanie Birks

The aim of the study is to explore the impact of a robot on individuals’ knowledge and attitudes towards influenza vaccination.

Using ethnographic methods, the objectives of this study are to:

• measure the effectiveness of a robot in imparting knowledge regarding influenza vaccination to patients, visitors and staff
• assess change in patients’, visitors’ and staff attitudes to influenza vaccination associated with interaction with a robot
• evaluate the acceptability and utility of a robot to patients, visitors and staff as a health literacy tool.

Project status: Data analysis and reporting

Contact: Wendy Smyth