Simplifying visit information access and coordination for travel nurses
ROLE
Lead Designer
TIMELINE
10 Weeks
TOOLS
Figma
SECTOR
Healthcare
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Mobile research services enhance drug development and study accessibility, addressing challenges in traditional studies that burden patients and hinder data quality. Travel nurses help make research more convenient and flexible, but good management, coordination, and secure communication are crucial for mobile research to work well. To improve these aspects, a centralized app is needed to keep track of visits and tasks efficiently.
As the lead designer, I aimed to solve the problem faced by nurses who manually track everything and sift through emails to find information. I achieved this by creating an app that saves time and ensures studies run smoothly.
EMPATHIZE
What’s the background?
Travel nurses must submit visit confirmation forms and time cards for each visit so the study team can confirm scheduled visits and ensure nurses receive payment for their time.
Staying organized is essential for on-the-go nurses managing multiple visits.
What’s the problem?
Several measures are implemented to ensure nurses receive reminders about upcoming visits and complete their tasks. If tasks are not completed promptly, escalation to project managers and coordinators is necessary.
The question is…
How might we streamline the management of mobile research services and facilitate efficient coordination of visits for nurses and coordinators through a user-friendly and intuitive application?
What’s the solution?
TravelRN is designed to boost research and patient outcomes by enhancing travel nurses' efficiency and user experience. It streamlines communication and study coordination, allowing nurses to prioritize patient care, leading to better research and patient outcomes.
What are the goals?
Keeping track of visit information (timing, location, requirements)
Submitting visit confirmations and timecards on time
Coordinating with study coordinators or project managers
Managing travel duration and mileage
Staying up-to-date with study requirements
DEFINE
RESEARCH
Competitive Audit
I audited travel nurse applications, identifying market gaps and gathering insights to inform the proposed application's features and user experience.
2. Nurse Interview
I interviewed a travel nurse to understand their challenges in visit coordination and their feature preferences for the application.
Drawing from the user experience, I identified three essential survey insights during my interview and audit, outlining their journey and the desired features they would like to see in the application
Survey Insights
01
Information Scattering
Frustration with the scattered nature of information management, including the need to juggle visit details across different tools like note apps, printed sheets, and physical notebooks.
Emphasized the need for reminders that are not reliant on reaching out to managers or coordinators.
02
Reliance on Manual Reminders
The desire for a single portal to track all relevant visit information. There is a need for a centralized platform that provides visit details, study-specific instructions, and any additional support.
03
Comprehensive Visit Information
PERSONA
The research concluded that the primary target audience for this application is travel nurses who require a centralized platform to track their visit schedules and information. While the app is designed to suit nurses of all ages, the average demographic for nurses, predominantly women in their forties, is expected to be the primary user group.
IDEATION, PROTOYPING, TESTING
SITE MAP
Several prototypes were explored during this process, including submitting a visit confirmation form, timecard, and viewing calendar, profile, and study information.
WIREFRAMES
Reflecting on Research
How do I make this accessible to the demographic?
How does this save time for nurses?
How does using this app feel when doing tasks?
UI IDEATION
With the above questions in consideration, the next phase involved exploring various iterations to create an efficient and user friendly interactive experience.
Iteration 1: The screens were too cluttered. The information must be clear and accessible for the target audience without overwhelming the nurses.
Iteration 2: The flow improved by adding more color and simplifying the design from iteration 1 to reduce text overload.
The nurse was tasked with submitting a visit confirmation form for a particular subject on a specific date. The below image conveys the heat map generated during her completion of the task.
TESTING
Testing Methodology
01
Maze heat map analysis evaluated the usability and user interaction with the design.
Usability
The nurse achieved a 100% score in the testing, indicating that the design was intuitive and easy to navigate.
02
Room for Improvement: Identified need for further improvements in design and aesthetics.
03
Design Iterations
DESIGN CONCEPT
The application targets adults in their mid to late 40s, aiming for accessibility, visibility, legibility, and visual refreshment.
Style Guide
EXECUTION
FINAL DESIGN
Submitting a Visit Confirmation Form
01
Travel nurses submit forms to confirm scheduled visits and provide location details. They can leave comments and request supplies. Completed tasks can be rescheduled or canceled if needed
Submitting a Clinician Activity Form
02
The form acts as a timesheet crucial for payroll processing, where nurses record their commute stops for each visit. The application automatically calculates the travel time and distance based on the entered locations. Once completed, the project team reviews the forms, and any necessary adjustments are escalated to the team for further action.
View Calendar, Studies, and Profile
03
Nurses can easily manage upcoming visits, access study information, and view visit metrics with a personalized profile dashboard.
TAKEAWAYS
Positive user testing feedback and high usability scores validate the effectiveness of the design in addressing challenges faced by travel nurses and streamlining their workflow.
01
Success of the Application
User testing and interviews were conducted with only one travel nurse, indicating the need for broader research.
02
Limited Sample Size in Testing
Future Research Plans
Aim to expand research and testing efforts to include a larger population of travel nurses to gather diverse perspectives, ensuring applicability across different contexts and facilitating further refinement and optimization of the application.
03