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A novel method of measuring the mental workload of anaesthetists during simulated practice
D H J Davis1, M Oliver, A J Byrne
1Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust, Morriston Hospital, Swansea SA6 6NL, UK.
Background:
Cognitive overload has been recognized as a significant cause of error in industries such as aviation, and measuring mental workload has become a key method of improving safety. The aim of this study was to pilot the use of a new method of measuring mental workload using a previously published study design.
Methods:
Ten trainee anaesthetists were exposed to a simulated crisis, similar to that used in a previous study. The mental workload of the trainees was assessed by measuring their response times to a wireless vibrotactile device.
Results:
Although all subjects treated the 'patient' adequately, response times increased significantly during the crisis (P=0.005). These findings are consistent with increased mental workload and with the findings of other studies using similar techniques.
Conclusions:
These findings confirm the importance of mental workload to the performance of anaesthetists, and suggest that raised mental workload is likely to be a common problem. Although further studies are required, the method described may provide a useful method for the measurement of the mental workload of anaesthetists.
