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Using Task-Evoked Pupillary Response to Predict Clinical Performance during a Simulation Training.
Elba Mauriz1,2, Sandra Caloca-Amber1, Ana M Vázquez-Casares1
1Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, s/n, 24071 León, Spain.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 25, 2023
Summary
Pupil size changes during tasks can objectively measure mental workload and predict clinical performance in healthcare trainees. This research highlights pupil variations as a valuable tool for assessing trainee competence.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Physiological Psychology
- Human Factors Engineering
Background:
- Healthcare training performance is influenced by trainee workload.
- Objective assessment of mental workload is critical due to its negative correlation with clinical performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore task-evoked pupil size changes as reliable indicators of mental workload.
- To assess the correlation between pupil responses, physiological metrics, and clinical performance in nursing students.
Main Methods:
- 49 nursing students underwent a cardiac arrest simulation.
- Collected data included cognitive demands (NASA-Task Load Index), physiological parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation), and pupil responses (diameters).
Main Results:
- Statistically significant differences in physiological and pupil metrics were observed based on performance scores.
- Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between pupil diameter differences, heart rate, blood pressure, workload, and performance (R² = 0.280, p < 0.028).
Conclusions:
- Task-evoked pupil variations show promise as objective markers for mental workload.
- Pupil responses can potentially complement traditional physiological metrics for predicting clinical performance in medical training.
