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Intraoperative Cognitive Load in Anesthesia Nurses Across Anesthetic Phases

NCT07568158 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 50

Last updated 2026-05-20

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The goal of this observational study is to measure the cognitive load (mental effort) of anesthesia nurses during real surgical procedures at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Spain. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does cognitive load vary across the three phases of anesthetic care (induction, maintenance, and emergence/recovery)?
* Is cognitive load higher during general anesthesia than during spinal anesthesia with sedation?
* How do surgical specialty and patient complexity relate to cognitive load?
* How does monitor alarm perception relate to cognitive load during surgery?

Participants (anesthesia nurses) will complete the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) questionnaire - a validated 6-item tool measuring mental effort - three times per surgical case: after induction or spinal block, during maintenance, and after patient awakening or sedation reversal. They will also answer 4 brief questions about alarm management at the end of each case. No changes are made to clinical care. Participation adds approximately 11 minutes per surgical case.

Conditions

  • Alarm Fatigue
  • Perioperative
  • Patient Safety
  • Cognitive Load
  • Performance
  • Cognitive Load, Performance

Interventions

OTHER

NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX)

The Raw NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) is a validated self-report questionnaire measuring subjective cognitive load across six dimensions: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration (scale 0-100). Administered three times per surgical case (T1, T2, T3) by the participating anesthesia nurse. Additionally, four questions about monitor alarm perception and management are completed after T3.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Victor Caro-Frechilla, RN, MSc · Hospital Clinic of Barcelona

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-06-01
Primary Completion
2026-12-31
Completion
2027-01-01

Countries

  • Spain

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07568158 on ClinicalTrials.gov