Information Overload

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Royal
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Information Overload

Post by Royal » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:30 am

Information overload
Information overload (also known as infobesity or infoxication refers to the difficulty a person can have understanding an issue and making decisions that can be caused by the presence of too much information. The term is popularized by Alvin Toffler in his bestselling 1970 book Future Shock, but is mentioned in a 1964 book by Bertram Gross, The Managing of Organizations. Speier et al.

Information overload occurs when the amount of input to a system exceeds its processing capacity. Decision makers have fairly limited cognitive processing capacity. Consequently, when information overload occurs, it is likely that a reduction in decision quality will occur.

In recent years, the term "information overload" has evolved into phrases such as "information glut" and "data smog" (Shenk, 1997). What was once a term grounded in cognitive psychology has evolved into a rich metaphor used outside the world of academia. In many ways, the advent of information technology has increased the focus on information overload: information technology may be a primary reason for information overload due to its ability to produce more information more quickly and to disseminate this information to a wider audience than ever before.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_overload

How to Avoid Information Overload at the Hospital

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Bring a list of home medications.Know what medications you take on a regular basis. When you’re admitted, someone will ask you to provide a list of your medications and will put them in your chart. Your attending doctor will decide which to keep you on in the hospital. The hospital pharmacy will provide those you need to continue taking, and ensure that any new medications prescribed are safe and appropriate in combination with your other meds.

Make a list of health care team members.An extensive team of health professionals, each with his or her own duties to perform, will come and go from your room. It isn’t always easy to sort out an attending physician from a consulting physician, or a nursing assistant from a certified nurse. If you’re ever unclear about who someone is or their role in your care, ask them. You or your support person will want to write down who is who, along with any instructions the person provides.

Know your code.Your code status informs staff what to do if you stop breathing or your heart stops. Patients without any chronic health issues who aren’t nearing the end of their life may want the health professionals to do everything possible to revive them. Others with a terminal diagnosis or of advanced age may choose not to be revived. This is called “Do Not Resuscitate” (DNR).

Assign a spokesperson.Identify someone that the hospital staff can call when changes occur. It’s important that this person can be easily reached, that you trust this person with your health information, and that he or she can be relied on to communicate with others in your family or support system.

Write down questions as you think of them.Except for nurses, most team members stop by your room once a day to check on you, review your care plan, and make any needed adjustments. It’s not always easy to remember all your questions during the doctor’s visit. Keep paper and pen handy and write down whatever questions come up between visits.

Advocate for yourself.Let your nurse know of any changes in your condition so the information can be relayed to your health care team. Also, if for any reason you’re not happy with a member of your health care team, let your nurse know that you’d like to speak with a nurse manager.

Leave the equipment to the experts.Hospitals are full of elaborate, high-tech equipment to perform important functions. From IV pumps, to heart-rate monitors, to breathing tubes and more, the equipment often serves a vital purpose. If any equipment begins to beep or if tubes become dislodged, always alert a nurse. Unfortunately, incidents have occurred of patients or family members inflicting irreparable harm when trying to fix things themselves.

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