title: Assessing mental workload during laparoscopic surgery.
abstract: Although the use of performance efficiency measures (speed, movement economy, errors) and ergonomic assessments are relatively well established, the evaluation of cognitive outcomes is rare. This report makes the case for assessment strategies that include mental workload measures as a way to improve training scenarios and training/operating environments. These mental workload measures can be crucially important in determining the difference between well-intentioned but subtly distracting technologies and true breakthroughs that will enhance performance and reduce stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA. cmcars00@pop.uky.edu
authors.forename: C Melody
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Carswell
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: W Brent
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Seales
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*