Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis

Callan, J R; Gwynne, III, J W; Kelly, T T; Muckler, F A; Saunders, W M; Lepage, R P; Chin, E; Schoenfeld, I; Serig, D I

doi:10.2172/97039

Title: Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis

Full Record
Other Related Research

Abstract

A human factors project on the use of nuclear by-product material to treat cancer using remotely operated afterloaders was undertaken by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of the project was to identify factors that contribute to human error in the system for remote afterloading brachytherapy (RAB). This report documents the findings from the first phase of the project, which involved an extensive function and task analysis of RAB. This analysis identified the functions and tasks in RAB, made preliminary estimates of the likelihood of human error in each task, and determined the skills needed to perform each RAB task. The findings of the function and task analysis served as the foundation for the remainder of the project, which evaluated four major aspects of the RAB system linked to human error: human-system interfaces; procedures and practices; training and qualifications of RAB staff; and organizational practices and policies. At its completion, the project identified and prioritized areas for recommended NRC and industry attention based on all of the evaluations and analyses.

Authors:

Callan, J R; Gwynne, III, J W; Kelly, T T; Muckler, F A ^[1]; Saunders, W M; Lepage, R P; Chin, E ^[2]; Schoenfeld, I; Serig, D I ^[3]

Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, CA (United States)
University of California San Diego Medical Center, CA (United States). Div. of Radiation Oncology
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology

Publication Date:: Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995

Research Org.:: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Systems Technology; Pacific Science and Engineering Group, San Diego, CA (United States); University of California San Diego Medical Center, CA (United States). Div. of Radiation Oncology

Sponsoring Org.:: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)

OSTI Identifier:: 97039

Report Number(s):: NUREG/CR-6125-Vol.2
ON: TI95012812; TRN: 95:019198

Resource Type:: Technical Report

Resource Relation:: Other Information: PBD: May 1995

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, BASIC STUDIES; 56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, APPLIED STUDIES; 42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; NUCLEAR MEDICINE; HUMAN FACTORS; MEDICAL PERSONNEL; RADIATION SOURCES; POSITIONING; NEOPLASMS; MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS; DIAGNOSIS; ERRORS; RADIATION DOSES; EQUIPMENT; THERAPY; REMOTE HANDLING; REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Citation Formats


                    Callan, J R, Gwynne, III, J W, Kelly, T T, Muckler, F A, Saunders, W M, Lepage, R P, Chin, E, Schoenfeld, I, and Serig, D I. Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis.  United States: N. p., 1995. 
        Web.  doi:10.2172/97039.

Copy to clipboard


                    Callan, J R, Gwynne, III, J W, Kelly, T T, Muckler, F A, Saunders, W M, Lepage, R P, Chin, E, Schoenfeld, I, & Serig, D I. Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/97039

Copy to clipboard


                    Callan, J R, Gwynne, III, J W, Kelly, T T, Muckler, F A, Saunders, W M, Lepage, R P, Chin, E, Schoenfeld, I, and Serig, D I. 1995.  
        "Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.2172/97039.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/97039.

Copy to clipboard


                    
@article{osti_97039,

  title        = {Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Volume 2, Function and task analysis},

  author       = {Callan, J R and Gwynne, III, J W and Kelly, T T and Muckler, F A and Saunders, W M and Lepage, R P and Chin, E and Schoenfeld, I and Serig, D I},

  abstractNote = {A human factors project on the use of nuclear by-product material to treat cancer using remotely operated afterloaders was undertaken by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of the project was to identify factors that contribute to human error in the system for remote afterloading brachytherapy (RAB). This report documents the findings from the first phase of the project, which involved an extensive function and task analysis of RAB. This analysis identified the functions and tasks in RAB, made preliminary estimates of the likelihood of human error in each task, and determined the skills needed to perform each RAB task. The findings of the function and task analysis served as the foundation for the remainder of the project, which evaluated four major aspects of the RAB system linked to human error: human-system interfaces; procedures and practices; training and qualifications of RAB staff; and organizational practices and policies. At its completion, the project identified and prioritized areas for recommended NRC and industry attention based on all of the evaluations and analyses.},

  doi          = {10.2172/97039},

  url          = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/97039},
  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995},

  month        = {Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995}

}

Copy to clipboard

Technical Report:

View Technical Report (8.81 MB)

https://doi.org/10.2172/97039

Save / Share:

Export Metadata

Save to My Library

Similar records in OSTI.GOV collections:

Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy. Supporting analyses of human-system interfaces, procedures and practices, training and organizational practices and policies. Volume 3

Technical Report Callan, J; Kelly, R; Quinn, M

A human factors project on the use of nuclear by-product material to treat cancer using remotely operated afterloaders was undertaken by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of the project was to identify factors that contribute to human error in the system for remote afterloading brachytherapy (RAB). This report documents the findings from the second, third, fourth, and fifth phases of the project, which involved detailed analyses of four major aspects of the RAB system linked to human error: human-system interfaces; procedures and practices; training practices and policies; and organizational practices and policies, respectively. Findings based on these analyses providedmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.2172/93757

Full Text Available
Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy: Human error and critical tasks in remote afterloading brachytherapy and approaches for improved system performance. Volume 1

Technical Report Callan, J; Kelly, R; Quinn, M

Remote Afterloading Brachytherapy (RAB) is a medical process used in the treatment of cancer. RAB uses a computer-controlled device to remotely insert and remove radioactive sources close to a target (or tumor) in the body. Some RAB problems affecting the radiation dose to the patient have been reported and attributed to human error. To determine the root cause of human error in the RAB system, a human factors team visited 23 RAB treatment sites in the US The team observed RAB treatment planning and delivery, interviewed RAB personnel, and performed walk-throughs, during which staff demonstrated the procedures and practices usedmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.2172/89505

Full Text Available
Human factors evaluation of remote afterloading brachytherapy - an overview

Journal Article Schoenfeld, I - Transactions of the American Nuclear Society

This report presents information from a research project aimed at understanding the causes of human errors in remote afterloading brachytherapy. The analysis determined functions, tasks, equipment, and personnel involoved, as well as cognitive, perceptual, and motor skills needed to perform the tasks.
Human Factors Implications of Two Remote Afterloading Brachytherapy Events

Conference Serig, Dennis

High-dose-rate (HDR) remote-afterloading brachytherapy (RAB) is a process for treating cancer. It uses a computerized device to control insertion and removal of a nominal 370-GBq (10 Ci) source from applicators placed in or on a patient's body. One key to achieving treatment as prescribed is correct positioning of the source within the applicators. Reports show that human error is an important contributor to incorrect source-positioning events. Results of investigations of such events can guide improvement of HDR-RAB.
Poster — Thur Eve — 40: Automated Quality Assurance for Remote-Afterloading High Dose Rate Brachytherapy

Journal Article Kim, Anthony; Ravi, Ananth - Medical Physics

High dose rate (HDR) remote afterloading brachytherapy involves sending a small, high-activity radioactive source attached to a cable to different positions within a hollow applicator implanted in the patient. It is critical that the source position within the applicator and the dwell time of the source are accurate. Daily quality assurance (QA) tests of the positional and dwell time accuracy are essential to ensure that the accuracy of the remote afterloader is not compromised prior to patient treatment. Our centre has developed an automated, video-based QA system for HDR brachytherapy that is dramatically superior to existing diode or film QAmore »« less
https://doi.org/10.1118/1.4894900

Similar Records