Tasks and Workload Factors Influencing the Use of Multimedia Job Aids to Improve Health Care Providers Performance

Sub-optimal performance is common in health care, poor performance of health care providers  can have as consequence augmented morbidity and mortality (Morrato, Dillon, & Ziegler, 2008).  Literature shows that lack of knowledge or skills is one source of sub-optimal performance in health care (Knebel, 2000).  One strategy to reduce suboptimal performance of health workers, originated in lack of knowledge or skills, is the implementation of tools denominated Job Aids (Folley & Munger, 1961; Knebel, 2000).  A formal definition for job aid is an external device or cognitive artifact that provides just-in time knowledge and information to help individuals with tasks by directing, guiding and enhancing performance (Elsenheimer, 1998; Knebel, 2000; Rossett & Gautier-Downes, 1991).  However literature demonstrated how even well motivated and trained health workers that use manual job aids can present sub-optimal performance expressed as errors in treatment and diagnosis, as well as, low protocol compliance (Rowe et al., 2007).