Analyzing the Impact of Cognitive Workload and Personal Factors on Biomechanical Responses in Healthcare Activities
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The intricate interactions between cognitive workload, psychosocial job aspects, and individual characteristics—all of which have a big impact on occupational health—are explored in this study. This research aims to understand how workplace environment, social dynamics, and other psychosocial factors influence individuals' perceptions of mental workload, and how this mental workload perception impacts biomechanical responses that might have implications in the development of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). Furthermore, the study explores the impact of individual characteristics like age, gender, and anxiety on cognitive workload and biomechanical responses, indicating the significance of individual techniques for managing workplace demands. In this study, participants will be senior nursing students and registered nurses who will have to implant a nasogastric tube on a mannequin under three different conditions. Following that, a variety of tools will be used, including saliva samples to check cortisol levels, reflective marker sensors for in-depth biomechanical analysis, and Tumeke software to assess body postures through ergonomic methods such as RULA and REBA, alongside personality assessment using the Big Five traits and subjective workload evaluation via NASA-TLX, SURG-TLX, and VAS. This study seeks to cast light on the complicated interaction between cognitive workload and physiological behavior, so assisting in the development of solutions that improve workplace and employment conditions and minimize the risk of WMSDs.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Industrial and Systems Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Luisa Valentina Nino de Valladares
Analyzing the Impact of Cognitive Workload and Personal Factors on Biomechanical Responses in Healthcare Activities
The intricate interactions between cognitive workload, psychosocial job aspects, and individual characteristics—all of which have a big impact on occupational health—are explored in this study. This research aims to understand how workplace environment, social dynamics, and other psychosocial factors influence individuals' perceptions of mental workload, and how this mental workload perception impacts biomechanical responses that might have implications in the development of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). Furthermore, the study explores the impact of individual characteristics like age, gender, and anxiety on cognitive workload and biomechanical responses, indicating the significance of individual techniques for managing workplace demands. In this study, participants will be senior nursing students and registered nurses who will have to implant a nasogastric tube on a mannequin under three different conditions. Following that, a variety of tools will be used, including saliva samples to check cortisol levels, reflective marker sensors for in-depth biomechanical analysis, and Tumeke software to assess body postures through ergonomic methods such as RULA and REBA, alongside personality assessment using the Big Five traits and subjective workload evaluation via NASA-TLX, SURG-TLX, and VAS. This study seeks to cast light on the complicated interaction between cognitive workload and physiological behavior, so assisting in the development of solutions that improve workplace and employment conditions and minimize the risk of WMSDs.