scholarly journals Surgery Task Load Index in Cardiac Surgery: Measuring Cognitive Load Among Teams

2020 ◽  
pp. 155335062093493
Author(s):  
Lauren R. Kennedy-Metz ◽  
Hill L. Wolfe ◽  
Roger D. Dias ◽  
Steven J. Yule ◽  
Marco A. Zenati

Background. The most commonly used subjective assessment of perceived cognitive load, the NASA Task Load Index (TLX), has proven valuable in measuring individual load among general populations. The surgery task load index (SURG-TLX) was developed and validated to measure cognitive load specifically among individuals within a surgical team. Notably, the TLX lacks temporal sensitivity in its typical retrospective administration. Objective. This study sought to expand the utility of SURG-TLX by investigating individual measures of cognitive load over time during cardiac surgery, and the relationship between individual and team measures of cognitive load and proxies for surgical complexity. Materials & Methods. SURG-TLX was administered retrospectively in the operating room immediately following each case to approximate cognitive load before, during, and after cardiopulmonary bypass for cardiac surgery team members (surgeon, anesthesiologist, and perfusionist). Correlations were calculated to determine the relationship of individual and team measures of cognitive load over the entire procedure with bypass length and surgery length. Results. Results suggest that perceived cognitive load varies throughout the procedure such that cognitive load during bypass significantly differs compared to before or after bypass, across all 3 roles. While on bypass, results show that anesthesiologists experience significantly lower levels of perceived cognitive load than both surgeons and perfusionists. Correlational analyses reveal that perceived cognitive load of both the surgeon and the team had significant positive associations with bypass length and surgery length. Conclusion. Our findings support the utility of SURG-TLX in real cardiac cases as a measure of cognitive load over time, and on an individual and team-wide basis.

Author(s):  
Ecem Olcum ◽  
Valerie K. Sims

This research seeks to understand the interaction between anxiety, seductive details, cognitive load, and learning. Research investigating the seductive details effect in learning and anxiety with relation to cognitive load has not reached a consistent conclusion. Additionally, to our knowledge, no previous study has looked at the relationship between anxiety and seductive details. Ninety five college students read a passage about lightning formation either with negative seductive details, neutral seductive details, or no seductive details. Learning performance was measured with transfer and retention tests, and cognitive load was measured by using NASA Task Load Index. The results indicated helpful effects of negative but not neutral seductive details on problem-solving test for individuals with higher fear from storms. Results showed no meaningful relationships between the seductive details effect, cognitive load, and learning performance. Anxiety producing information, in small amounts, can benefit higher order cognitive processing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 904-904
Author(s):  
Lopez-Hernandez D ◽  
Litvin P ◽  
Rugh-Fraser R ◽  
Cervantes R ◽  
Martinez F ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective We evaluated perceived workload (measured by the NASA Task Load Index; NASA-TLX) as related to Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) performances in monolingual and bilingual traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and healthy comparison participants (HC). Method The sample consisted of 28 TBI survivors (12 monolinguals & 16 bilinguals) and 50 HC (20 monolinguals & 30 bilinguals). SDMT written (SDMT-W) and SDMT oral (SDMT-O) were used to evaluate group differences. Results ANCOVA, controlling for age, revealed that the HC group outperformed the TBI group on SDMT-W, p = .001, and SDMT-O, p = .047. Furthermore, bilinguals outperformed monolinguals on SDMT-W, p = .017. On the NASA-TLX, an interaction emerged on temporal demand rating, p = .023, with TBI bilinguals reporting higher temporal demand on SDMT tasks compared to TBI monolinguals, while the HC monolingual participants reported higher temporal demands ratings compared to HC bilingual participants. Furthermore, monolingual participants showed higher levels of frustration with regard to the SDMT task compared to bilingual participants, p = .029. Conclusion Our data revealed TBI survivors underperformed on both SDMT trials compared to the HC participants. Also, bilingual participants demonstrated better SDMT-W performances compared to monolingual participants. Furthermore, our TBI bilingual sample reported themselves to be more rushed to complete the SDMT compared to monolingual TBI sample, but they were less frustrated. Meanwhile, our HC monolingual sample felt more rushed to complete the SDMT tasks compared to HC bilingual participants, but they were less frustrated. While we observed differences in workload ratings between language groups, it is unclear if language use, and/or other variables are driving these results.


Author(s):  
David A. Sawin ◽  
Mark W. Scerbo

The present study explored whether instructions given to subjects at the outset of a vigilance experiment impact their ratings of frustration and workload. The present task consisted of monitoring a video display terminal (VDT) of uniform color for 30 min. Subjects were asked to respond to occasional 3 ms “flickers” to a different color. Half of the subjects were told to relax by focusing on the display, but to respond to any flickers observed. The remaining subjects were given traditional vigilance instructions emphasizing the importance of detecting as many “critical signals” or flickers as possible. Before and after the vigil, subjects completed the NASA Task Load Index (TLX; Hart and Staveland, 1988) which measured the subjective workload for the vigil. Hits and false alarm data were recorded for each 10 min period within the 30 min vigil. A significant reduction in mean number of hits was observed over the three periods for all subjects. A subsequent analysis showed that perceptual sensitivity also declined significantly over time. Performance, however, was not affected by instruction type. Subjects who received relaxation-emphasis instructions did report significantly lower workload and frustration for the vigil than those receiving detection-emphasis instructions. These results indicate that much of what individuals find unpleasant about participating in vigilance experiments may lie with the expectations outlined in the initial instructions.


1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 131-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Declan Sheerin

AbstractObjectives: To determine the frequency with which abuse, parental separation and bereavement occur on their own or together in children attending child psychiatry services and to assess the relationship between these traumas and attendance and outcome.Method: A review of all case notes over a 12 month period (n = 435) was conducted and a proforma completed. Information was gathered on clinical presentation, rate of attendance, the presence of sexual abuse, non-sexual abuse including bullying, bereavement and parental separation and a measurement of outcome by subjective assessment was made.Results: Fifty-nine per cent of the children had experienced at least one of the specified traumas; 13% had experienced two and 2.5% had experienced three. The children who had been abused or bereaved were more likely to require fairly long-term work; those who were adjusting to parental separation required less intervention over time. The children who had been sexually abused had, relatively, the poorest outcome in contrast to those adjusting to bereavement where 87% were considered to have made significant improvement.Conclusions: Bereavement, abuse and parental separation are common in children referred to the child psychiatric services and these children often require long-term intervention. Increased resources will be required in order to continue to provide adequate intervention and treatment for these children.


2018 ◽  
Vol 09 (04) ◽  
pp. 791-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Karavite ◽  
Matthew Miller ◽  
Mark Ramos ◽  
Susan Rettig ◽  
Rachael Ross ◽  
...  

Background Surveillance for surgical site infections (SSIs) after ambulatory surgery in children requires a detailed manual chart review to assess criteria defined by the National Health and Safety Network (NHSN). Electronic health records (EHRs) impose an inefficient search process where infection preventionists must manually review every postsurgical encounter (< 30 days). Using text mining and business intelligence software, we developed an information foraging application, the SSI Workbench, to visually present which postsurgical encounters included SSI-related terms and synonyms, antibiotic, and culture orders. Objective This article compares the Workbench and EHR on four dimensions: (1) effectiveness, (2) efficiency, (3) workload, and (4) usability. Methods Comparative usability test of Workbench and EHR. Objective test metrics are time per case, encounters reviewed per case, time per encounter, and retrieval of information meeting NHSN definitions. Subjective measures are cognitive load using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Task Load Index (NASA TLX), and a questionnaire on system usability and utility. Results Eight infection preventionists participated in the test. There was no difference in effectiveness as subjects retrieved information from all cases, using both systems, to meet the NHSN criteria. There was no difference in efficiency in time per case between the Workbench and EHR (8.58 vs. 7.39 minutes, p = 0.36). However, with the Workbench subjects opened fewer encounters per case (3.0 vs. 7.5, p = 0.002), spent more time per encounter (2.23 vs. 0.92 minutes, p = 0.002), rated the Workbench lower in cognitive load (NASA TLX, 24 vs. 33, p = 0.02), and significantly higher in measures of usability. Conclusion Compared with the EHR, the Workbench was more usable, short, and reduced cognitive load. In overall efficiency, the Workbench did not save time, but demonstrated a shift from between-encounter foraging to within-encounter foraging and was rated as significantly more efficient. Our results suggest that infection surveillance can be better supported by systems applying information foraging theory.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Sexton ◽  
Amanda Johnson ◽  
Amanda Gotsch ◽  
Ahmed A Hussein ◽  
Lora Cavuoto ◽  
...  

IntroductionRobot-assisted surgery (RAS) has changed the traditional operating room (OR), occupying more space with equipment and isolating console surgeons away from the patients and their team. We aimed to evaluate how anticipation of surgical steps and familiarity between team members impacted efficiency.MethodsWe analysed recordings (video and audio) of 12 robot-assisted radical prostatectomies. Any requests between surgeon and the team members were documented and classified by personnel, equipment type, mode of communication, level of inconvenience in fulfilling the request and anticipation. Surgical team members completed questionnaires assessing team familiarity and cognitive load (National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Task Load Index). Predictors of team efficiency were assessed using Pearson correlation and stepwise linear regression.Results1330 requests were documented, of which 413 (31%) were anticipated. Anticipation correlated negatively with operative time, resulting in overall 8% reduction of OR time. Team familiarity negatively correlated with inconveniences. Anticipation ratio, per cent of requests that were non-verbal and total request duration were significantly correlated with the console surgeons’ cognitive load (r=0.77, p=0.006; r=0.63, p=0.04; and r=0.70, p=0.02, respectively).ConclusionsAnticipation and active engagement by the surgical team resulted in shorter operative time, and higher familiarity scores were associated with fewer inconveniences. Less anticipation and non-verbal requests were also associated with lower cognitive load for the console surgeon. Training efforts to increase anticipation and team familiarity can improve team efficiency during RAS.


2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (19) ◽  
pp. 745-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
György Fábry ◽  
Tamás Haidegger

Introduction: Simulation for skill training has a long history in surgery. Initially, surgeons practiced on animals or human cadavers, which is costly and raises ethical questions. Emerging hygienic requirements lead to the development of “artificial” phantoms, on which suturing, anastomoses and other elements of the procedure could be practiced on. Similarly, in minimal invasive surgery surgeons need extensive practice to learn the correct techniques, and to acquire sufficient skills. Laparoscopy requires specific training devices, ranging from animal models to virtual reality simulators. Aim: This work focused on physical simulators, development of affordable phantoms and adjoin tasks for a personal laparoscopic training box. Authors described five new tasks that were added to the classical curriculum. Methods: The tasks included leading the line, ligation, preparation-ligation, leading a string and camera handling. Data was were derived from a trial with 30 participants. They were categorized into 3 groups: laymen, general practitioner residents (non-surgeons) and surgery residents. Subjective assessment of the new tasks was performed using a 20-points questionnaire (NASA Task Load Index). Participants were asked about the usefulness, mental, physical, temporal demand, performance, effort and frustration. Accomplishment time was also recorded for each task (as well as the number or errors, where applicable). In addition, 10 consecutive task execution sessions were recorded, and in some cases, users’ performance was tracked over a follow-up period of several days. Results: Participants considered the tasks suitable and relevant for education, and also approved them for self-education purposes. The three groups showed statistically significant differences in performance, based on their average completion time. Conclusion: The follow-up studies showed continuous progress in the completion of individual tasks. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 745–751.


Author(s):  
Nurul Ihsaniah Omar ◽  
Abu Bakar Ibrahim

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of computer simulation with the electronic circuit on students’ motivation, achievement, and cognitive load. The assessment is done through the post-test, Instructional Materials Motivational Scale (IMMS) questions and the NASA Task Load Index cognitive load test. This study discusses the development of LiveWire simulation also the laboratory worksheet for the LiveWire software that will be developed for the subject Design & Technology for Form Three students at the secondary school level. The evaluation of the LiveWire software and the laboratory worksheet that will be developed involves the evaluation of the usability and users’ satisfaction. The method of delivery using LiveWire is a systematic step in the exploration into the use of simulation for electronic circuits. LiveWire is also suitable and is capable of increasing the development of meaningful knowledge among students. This is because of the strategy of use of the laboratory worksheet in helping the students to explore into and master a simulation application, especially for novice learners.


Author(s):  
Madeline Lemke ◽  
Alison Banwell ◽  
Natalie Rubinger ◽  
Michelle Wiepjes ◽  
Mark Ropeleski ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Optimal colonoscopy training curricula should minimize stress and cognitive load. This study aimed to determine whether withdrawal or insertion colonoscopy skills training is associated with less stress or cognitive load for trainees or trainers. Methods In Phase I, participants were randomized to train on either insertion or withdrawal in a simulated environment. In Phase II, participants were randomized to begin with either insertion or withdrawal in patient encounters. Salivary cortisol levels, heart rate, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) surveys were used to assess stress in trainees and trainers. NASA Task Load Index (TLX) survey was used to assess cognitive workload in trainees. Results In Phase I, trainee stress increased during the simulation training during both withdrawal and insertion compared to baseline, while trainer stress changed minimally. Cognitive load was higher for trainees during withdrawal (P = 0.005). In Phase II, trainers’ STAI scores were greater during insertion training (P = 0.013). Trainees’ stress was highest prior to beginning patient training and decreased during training, while trainer’s stress increased during training. Trainees reported insertion training being of greater value (70.0%), while trainers reported withdrawal was preferred (77.8%). Conclusion Trainees and trainers exhibit important differences in stress during colonoscopy skills training. Trainees reported more stress during simulation training and greatest cognitive load during simulation withdrawal, whereas trainers reported greatest stress during patient encounters, particularly training of insertion techniques. Attention to the effect of stress on trainees and trainers and the drivers of stress is warranted and could be incorporated in competency based medical education.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2331
Author(s):  
Masanori Yoshida ◽  
Etsuro Shimizu ◽  
Masashi Sugomori ◽  
Ayako Umeda

Shipping is an indispensable tool for the sustainable global supply chain, and seafarers play a key role in safe navigation. Maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) have been expected to reduce marine accidents by human error of the seafarers. On the other hand, MASS may have adverse effects on operators’ mental workload (MWL) and increase safety risks in some cases. This research aims to provide a scheme for identifying the relationship between MWL and MASS in the maritime that can be utilised for rulemaking and technological development. The provided scheme identifies the factors that affect the MWL of operators and sub-elements of MWL through gap analysis. Five factors related to MASS operation were defined, in addition to general factors. The case study was carried out by utilising the scheme on typical cases focusing on the normal navigational situation. The NASA task load index method was used to measure MWL. Ten deck officers with various ranks, including the third officer and captain, participated in the case study. The results suggested that various causes such as conflicted situations, machine–human interfaces, mechanical-style movements of the ship, reliability of MASS, and visibility constraints affect the MWL of operators. It also confirmed the verification of the identification scheme.


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