A novel method of measuring the mental workload of anaesthetists during simulated practice.

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.