Through observations and personal experiences, we identified the main challenges and benefits of the wristband.



Proposal #1

We are inspired by the growing scope of biometrics in our world.



Technology, when integrated respectfully, fosters more human interaction, not less.

We digitally prototyped the tablet interface.



Proposal #2

Wristbands in other contexts (like music festivals) have added value in addition to being an ID device.



We also roughly prototyped this digital interface as well.



Proposal #3

We explored analogous models of context-aware messaging...

... and moved away from a culture of NO.



Graphics could be integrated throughout the environment of the hospital room in places where the patient and nurses naturally look. These graphics could include wristband-reinforcing messages.







Reimagining the Inpatient Wristband

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“Scanning the patient, similar to how we scan products, can be dehumanizing.”

Every day, oncology nurses at Johns Hopkins experience serious challenges with the ID wristband the patients wear during their hospital stay. We heard the nurses express frustration at how the wristbands block their workflow and stigmatize the patients. At the same time, they understand the main purpose for the wristbands: to make sure the right patient gets the right treatment in the right dose in the right route at the right time.

Our goals were to propose solutions which reimagine the wristband — in other words, retain the positive characteristics but address its current challenges. We interviewed nurses and studied analogous models of other wristband usage.  In the end, we proposed three tiers of solutions:

  • Way Out There, and DOPE.
  • Possible, and DOPE.
  • Practical, Still DOPE.

The Armstrong Institute at Johns Hopkins gathered our solutions and brought them upstream to the hospital administrators; current negotiations are ongoing.

 

September 2016.

Project completed within the graduate program in Social Design at MICA. 

Project Team: Denise Brown, Devika Menon, Rachel Serra, Irina Wong.

Faculty Advisors: Thomas Gardner, Mike Weikert.