Validation of a task demand measure for predicting mental workloads of physical therapists

The purpose of this study is to validate an analytical method in assessing demanded mental workloads for physical therapists, and to discuss its possible ergonomics implications on the design of healthcare working systems in which physical therapists are considered as the users. A task analysis was...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of industrial ergonomics 2014-09, Vol.44 (5), p.747-752
Main Authors: Liang, Sheau-Farn Max, Rau, Chi-Lun, Tsai, Pei-Fang, Chen, Wen-Shiuan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Design engineering
Ergonomics
Health care
Healthcare working systems
McCracken–Aldrich technique
Mental workload
NASA-TLX
Physical therapists
Physical therapy
Ratings
Research and development
Task analysis
Tasks
Therapy
User interface
Validation studies
Workload
Workloads
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Summary:The purpose of this study is to validate an analytical method in assessing demanded mental workloads for physical therapists, and to discuss its possible ergonomics implications on the design of healthcare working systems in which physical therapists are considered as the users. A task analysis was first used to understand the operation steps of three identified physical therapies. Then, the McCracken–Aldrich technique was applied to assign ratings of mental workload demanded for performing each step of the therapies. Finally, the assigned ratings were validated by the analysis of correlation with the answers of the NASA-TLX questionnaire collected from seventeen physical therapists in the rehabilitation center of a university-affiliated hospital. Results showed that the proposed McCracken–Aldrich technique was suitable as an analysis tool for predicting metal workloads of physical therapists. Some possible implications about the information provision and user interface design for reducing therapists' mental workloads on current therapy operations were discussed. Results of this paper are expected to contribute the research and development in healthcare industry on its system design and workflow analysis. •The need of an analysis tool for assessing mental workloads of physical therapists has been identified.•The adopted analysis tool has been validated with the results of the NASA-TLX questionnaire collected from physical therapists.•Possible implications about the information provision and user interface design for therapy operations have been provided.
ISSN:0169-8141
1872-8219
DOI:10.1016/j.ergon.2014.08.002