Medical errors represent a global concern, with a significant impact on patient safety. The World Health Organization highlights that around 1 in 10 patients are harmed in healthcare settings, and more than half of this harm is preventable. The etiology of medical errors is multifaceted, with staff exhaustion identified as a key preventable factor, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). Urine output (UO) monitoring with standard urine bags imposes stringent requirements; such as visual fatigue ultimately leading to exhaustion. This study aims to evaluate the effect of urine bag modification on visual accuracy of volume estimate and visual comfort.

This is a repeated measures experimental design to assess the accuracy of volume estimation and visual comfort of standard versus modified urine bags. Participants were general practitioners who work at Hasan Sadikin Hospital. The presentation of standard or modified urine bags and the selection of urine volumes were determined randomly for each individual. Predetermined viewing distances for the urine bags were established at 1-meter intervals, from 1-7 meters. Participants visually assessed the urine volume at every distance, and their estimations were recorded. Estimation error was calculated as the absolute difference between estimated and actual volumes. Visual comfort was rated after volume estimation. Paired T-Test or Wilcoxon test were used for continuous data. Mann-Whitney U test were used for ordinal data.

There was a statistically significant difference in error estimation between standard and modified urine bags with the former having a larger average estimation error. This difference was observed at distances between 2-7 meters. There was no difference observed at 1 meter. Participants rated visual comfort higher for the modified urine bag.

The modified urine bags improved both visual accuracy and visual comfort. This finding can serve as a foundation for future research aimed at minimizing visual errors, ultimately reducing medical errors.