RESUMEN

PURPOSE: To reduce the risk of dehydration in older adults, the French company Auxivia has developed a smart drinking glass (SDG) that can measure the amount of water drunk. The present study looked at the various work systems (WSs) designed for use of the SDG in a nursing home. The study's objectives were to (i) determine the WSs' impact on the staff's ability to comply with the device's prerequisites and ensure the device's effective use and (ii) draw up guidelines on designing work systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At three nursing homes in France, two independent observers performed 9 h of observations at each site and a total of 29 interviews. RESULTS: Decisions concerning implementation and the resulting WSs have an impact on the tasks to be performed, the tasks' inherent constraints and the use of the SDG. It is essential to take account of the sociotechnical system as a whole before integrating a technology. Ideally, the introduction of an SDG will go unnoticed by staff and residents; however, our results emphasize the value of highlighting work constraints via a human factors analysis. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to take account of sociotechnical WSs as a whole when integrating a technology.Implications for rehabilitationFor caregivers, better measurement of the amount of water drunk by older adults might help to prevent dehydration.For service providers, better knowledge of how work systems influence the nursing home staff's ability to comply with the smart drinking glass's prerequisites might improve the device implementation process.For managers, a nursing home's work systems should take account of the smart drinking glass's prerequisites on one hand and the home's environment and constraints on the other.