The NASA Task Load Index in simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Area of Science:

• Medical simulation
• Emergency medicine
• Healthcare quality and safety

Background:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a critical but demanding medical intervention.
• Limited data exists on the perceived workload experienced by healthcare providers during CPR.
• Understanding rescuer workload is essential for optimizing team performance and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the workload experienced by physicians during simulated CPR.
• To compare CPR workload with other activities.
• To investigate the impact of additional tasks on rescuer workload during CPR.

Main Methods:

• Utilized NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) to measure workload in 2831 physicians across four trials.
• Simulated cardiac arrest scenarios with teams of 3-5 physicians.
• Intervention groups performed CPR with additional tasks: family presence, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), or personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Assessed the effect of a designated team leader intervention.

Main Results:

• The median overall workload for CPR control teams was 58.
• Family presence (median 68) and PPE (median 63) significantly increased workload compared to control (P < 0.01).
• Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) did not significantly affect workload (median 58).

Conclusions:

• CPR inherently generates a high workload for medical teams.
• Implementing additional tasks, specifically family presence and PPE, can further elevate rescuer workload.
• Designating a team leader did not influence the workload associated with CPR.