Abstract
In my thesis, I investigated the technical and ethical aspects of hospital-acquired infections, particularly CLABSIs (central line-associated bloodstream infections). At first, I understood CLABSIs primarily as a clinical issue that might be mitigated by rigorous adherence to hospital guidelines. But as I advanced in my technical solution through my capstone and research, my understanding grew deeper. I came to see that preventing CLABSIs necessitates a sociotechnical approach that combines ethical frameworks addressing healthcare disparities, transparency, and equitable access to infection control resources with technological innovation, like the UV light sanitation device my capstone team and I developed together.
On the technical side, I contributed to the design and refinement of a novel UV light sanitation device, intended to sterilize medications entering a patient’s central line. This device aims to actively eliminate bacteria at a critical point of vulnerability, enhancing current manual infection control methods. Simultaneously, my STS research shed a light on how systemic inequities such as uneven resource distribution and failures in infection reporting continue to expose vulnerable patient populations to preventable harm. Together, these experiences shaped my recognition that technological innovation alone is insufficient but instead it must be guided by ethical principles and implemented within healthcare systems that prioritize justice and transparency.
This project underscored the importance of integrating knowledge from biomedical engineering, public health, medical ethics, and sociology. Developing the UV device involved collaboration across biomedical engineers and physicians to ensure its seamless integration into a clinical setting, while the ethical inquiry demanded engagement with public health research and bioethics. Solving the CLABSI challenge required insights not only from technology development but also from understanding patient trust, healthcare inequalities, and policy implications. Sociotechnical synthesis in this project meant recognizing that only a multidisciplinary lens could fully address the issue of infection prevention and get one step closer to a solution.
Throughout this project, I adopted a systems thinking perspective, viewing hospitals as complex ecosystems where technical, human, and organizational factors constantly interact. Preventing CLABSIs is influenced by factors such as technology access, hospital staffing ratios, compliance culture, and public reporting norms. The persistence of HAIs in underfunded hospitals revealed feedback loops of systemic failure: limited resources led to higher infection rates, which damaged institutional trust and reinforced inequity. This realization guided my approach to both technical design and policy analysis, emphasizing that solutions must operate across multiple interconnected domains.
Ethical imperatives drove both components of the project. On the technical side, developing a low-cost, scalable UV device aligned with principles of justice, seeking to make infection prevention accessible across resource-diverse hospitals. On the STS side, my research exposed how transparency failures such as delayed reporting of the Mycobacterium chimaera outbreak betrayed patient trust and worsened outcomes. Ethical healthcare requires that institutions prioritize patient welfare over institutional self-preservation and that innovations target not only efficiency but also fairness, accountability, and equitable distribution.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the urgent need for healthcare systems that are adaptable and resilient in the face of emerging threats. My technical project focused on designing a device suitable for integration into clinical settings, while my STS research highlighted the importance of strong infection reporting systems, equitable access to technology, and culturally sensitive patient communication. Through sociotechnical synthesis, I learned that building resilient systems requires both adaptable technology and a continuous commitment to ethical practices, allowing them to respond to evolving clinical and societal needs.
This project fundamentally changed how I approach problem-solving in healthcare. Tackling CLABSIs requires more than just engineering skills; it also calls for ethical awareness, a deep understanding of healthcare systems, and a commitment to equity. By developing a UV sanitation device and exploring issues in healthcare ethics, I came to understand that technical innovation and social responsibility must go hand in hand. Sociotechnical synthesis is not just a method, but a mindset one that I will carry with me as I move forward in biomedical engineering and healthcare innovation. The future of medicine must be both technically sound and ethically grounded to ensure that every patient, regardless of their background or income, receives safe and respectful care.
