Measurement of mental workload in clinical medicine: a review study.
BACKGROUND
Measures of mental workload are now commonly used in industries to identify sources of error and to improve performance.


OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to review the evidence for the use of this technique within medicine.


METHODS
We used search engines and the internet to identify experimental studies that included a measure of mental workload in medical practitioners or trainees/students. Studies that aimed to measure mental "stress" as a disorder, or "productivity" were excluded. Each abstract and then the full paper were appraised prior to inclusion.


RESULTS
Thirty-three studies were identified that matched the inclusion criteria. Although these covered a variety of settings, common methods were identifiable. The results support the concept of mental workload measurement as an important factor in medical performance.


CONCLUSIONS
The limited number of studies and the variety of definitions and measurement techniques used in these studies, make direct comparisons difficult. However, the utility of this methodology in medical education appears to have been established, and guidelines for further research methods are proposed.
Clinical Skills and Simulation, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Aidan
A
Byrne
Medical errors; Patient simulation; Workload