Table 4

Interrupter–interruptee possible scenarios

Outcomes	Interrupter	Interruptee	Example
Positive–positive	Gains wanted information (person) or provides necessary information (alarm, reminder or person).	Gains necessary information and resumes primary task or appropriately changes task.	Doctor is typing up a prescription for a patient when the computer provider order entry system alerts him that the patient is allergic to that medication.
Positive–positive and negative	Gains wanted information (person) or provides information (alarm, reminder or person).	Gains necessary information but also forgets to resume primary task.	Nurse is looking for medication for his patient when his pager alarms, warning him that his other patient is coding. Nurse responds, but subsequently forgets to return to get the medication for his first patient.
Positive–negative	Gains wanted information (person) or provides information (alarm, reminder or person).	Distracted, does not resume primary task or resumption is delayed.	Pharmacist is entering orders into the computer system when a nurse asks her how she should administer a new medication to her patient. Pharmacist gets distracted and forgets where he is in the order entry process.
Negative–negative	Gains the wrong information or does not gain wanted information.	Distracted, does not resume primary task or resumption is delayed.	Nurse interrupts a resident to ask a question about a medication. Resident provides the wrong information, and also forgets what he was doing originally.
Negative–neutral	Gains the wrong information or does not gain wanted information.	Distracted, but appropriately resumes primary task.	Nurse interrupts a resident to ask a question about a medication. Resident provides the wrong information, and resumes his original task.
Neutral–negative	Does not provide or receive information.	Distracted, does not resume primary task or resumption is delayed.	Nurse is charting and a known false alarm interrupts him and he forgets to resume charting.
Neutral–neutral	Does not provide or receive information.	Distracted, but appropriately resumes primary task.	Nurse is charting and a known false alarm interrupts her, but she resumes charting.