WHAT’S
INVOLVED

​​As a visitor in the emergency department you will not be directly involved in the project during observations.
 
OCAD students will be conducting observations to understand patient movement and interactions with the ED environment. The spatial observation work will not pinpoint or profile any group of people. The observations will focus on the spatial elements and environmental factors and how they relate to all people as human entities, with the goal to gather data on how the physical design of the ED impacts patient navigation and interactions. The technique that’s used is to understand human behavior through these movements, circulation patterns, and observations, rather than making assumptions about individuals' backgrounds or experiences. For example, if someone appears confused about where to register or ask for help, the observation would focus on noting the occurrence of confusion as an interaction with the space, rather than identifying or describing the individual involved. The process will also consider how spaces are set up - what kind of language and cues exist (i.e., triggers for people to ask for translation or ease of natural process).
 
Observers may document general environmental interactions that can inform future engagement. If there seems to be some patterns of observations that are being noted, ex: groups of older adults in the ED that are having difficulty finding chairs, those may be called out in observations. The goal is to ensure that any future design interventions are developed with inclusivity in mind, so that no proposed intervention or idea inadvertently creates challenges or problems for any particular group.

PRIVACY and CONFIDENTIALITY​

​No confidential information is being collected during observations.
 
Data collected during this project will be stored on a password-protected institutional secure drive (Onedrive – OCADU). Data will only be accessible by a member of the project team. No information will be released to any other party for any reason, unless someone discloses something that would require the project team to report to a legal authority (for example, the legal duty to report harm or neglect of a child).
 
Data will be kept for the duration of the project. At the end of the project period, the data will be permanently discarded.
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POTENTIAL BENEFITS

POTENTIAL RISKS

Possible benefits of observations include helping us design better tools to improve how patients navigate the space.

INCENTIVES FOR PARTICIPATION

​You will not be paid to be observed in this project.
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There also may be risks associated with observations but those risks are very low and likely the same risks as you would encounter in everyday life.​

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

​The observations do not require you to participate in any activities and require no input on your part. The observations have no effect on your access to care in the emergency department. If a patient, staff member, or someone using the common space asks the observer to leave the space, they will respect their wishes and leave the area.
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PUBLICATION OF RESULTS

Results of this project may be published in reports, scholarly journals and presentation to conferences. In any publication, data will be presented in aggregate forms.
 
Feedback about this project will be available on this website once the project is finished. You can contact a member of the project team (contact information above) with any questions about results. 

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CONTACT INFORMATION AND ETHICS CLEARANCE
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✉️email

[email protected]
[email protected]
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If you have any questions about this project or require further information, please ask. If you have questions later about the project, you may contact the Course Instructor: Kate Sellen ([email protected]) or Maya Desai ([email protected]) using the contact information provided above. This project has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through the Research Ethics Board at OCAD University.
 

🏚️address

OCAD University 100 McCaul Street Toronto, ​M5T1W1 416 977 6000x4368

If you have questions regarding your rights as a participant in this project please contact: Research Ethics Board c/o Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation