New wearable device keeps track of heart and respiratory parameters and alerts staff when they reach a high stress threshold
Health workers are among the classes most prone to stress at work. Their commitment was also of paramount importance during the pandemic period. A new study, led by Prof. Damian M. Bailey of the University of South Wales, Pontypridd, UK, proposes an innovative device that will help staff through the most difficult times.
VitalScout is a wearable sensor that keeps track of the operator’s physiological parameters, such as heart rate and respiratory rate. The parameters are collected and analysed to calculate the stress level in real time. The study involved 12 male volunteers, the full results were presented in an article published in the journal Physioligical Reports.
“A high prevalence of stress and burnout has been reported in healthcare professionals. However, the current tools utilized to quantify such metrics are not in keeping with doctors’ busy lifestyles and do not comply with infection prevention policies” said Prof. Damian M. Bailey. “Given that increased stress can subsequently impact both the healthcare profession and the patient in care, we believe the wearable biosensor used in this study is a useful tool to monitor and manage stress experienced by healthcare professionals.”