Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue

Subjective mental workload profile and its relationship with quality of work life among nurses: The mediating role of general health

BACKGROUND

 Nursing is widely recognized as a high-stress profession that encompasses a variety of cognitive, emotional, and physical demands.

OBJECTIVE

 This study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between subjective mental workload (SMWL), general health (GH), and quality of work life (QWL).

METHODS

 This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional study examines the relationship between SMWL, GH, and QWL among nurses working in several public hospitals in Iran. The study involved 283 nurses, with data collected through self-administered questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. SMWL was assessed using the SURG-TLX questionnaire, QWL was evaluated with Walton's 35-item tool, and GH was measured using the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed for data analysis.

RESULTS

 The findings revealed a significant negative effect of SMWL on both GH (β = -0.283; p = 0.038) and QWL (β = -0.211; p = 0.041). In contrast, better GH was positively associated with higher QWL (β = 0.747; p < 0.001). GH was found to mediate the relationship between SMWL and QWL, explaining 43% of the total effect.

CONCLUSION

 These results highlight the importance of improving GH to enhance QWL and job satisfaction among nurses by alleviating the adverse effects of high SMWL. The study emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to boost GH, thereby creating a more supportive work environment. Future research should delve deeper into these dynamics through longitudinal studies to validate these findings over time.

Neuroimaging features for cognitive fatigue and its recovery with VR intervention: An EEG microstates analysis

INTRODUCTION

Cognitive fatigue is mainly caused by enduring mental stress or monotonous work, impairing cognitive and physical performance. Natural scene exposure is a promising intervention for relieving cognitive fatigue, but the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) simulated natural scene exposure is unclear. We aimed to investigate the effect of VR natural scene on cognitive fatigue and further explored its underlying neurophysiological alterations with electroencephalogram (EEG) microstates analysis.

METHODS

Ten participants performed a 20-minute 1-back task before and after VR intervention while EEG was recorded (pre-task, post-task). Performance was measured with mean accuracy rate (MAR) and mean reaction time (MRT) of the continuous 1-back task. VR simulation of the Canal Town scene was utilized to alleviate cognitive fatigue caused by 1-back tasks. Four resting-state phases were identified: beginning, pre, post, and end phases.

RESULTS

Post-task had a higher MAR and a lower MRT than pre-task. For pre-task, MAR was negatively correlated with trials, while MRT was positively correlated with trials. Four EEG microstates classes (A-D) were identified, and their temporal parameters (mean duration, time coverage and occurrence) and transition probabilities were calculated. After intervention, mean duration and time coverage of class B decreased, all parameters of class C increased, while all parameters of class D decreased. Transition probabilities between classes B and D decreased but increased between classes A and C.

CONCLUSION

VR simulation of Canal Town scene is a potentially effective method to alleviate cognitive fatigue. Microstate is an electrophysiological trait characteristic of cognitive fatigue and might be used to indicate the effect of VR intervention.

Development and validation of a virtual teaching method for minimally invasive surgery skills: a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in operative exposure for surgical trainees, necessitating alternative training methods to mitigate the impact on surgical education. This study sought to evaluate whether minimally invasive surgery (MIS) skills could be taught remotely using widely available technology with objective assessments of proficiency.

METHODS

This was a pilot observational study with a comparative assessment of face-to-face (F2F) and virtual training of novice learners in MIS skills. Performance and objective cognitive workload parameters [Surgical Task Load Index (SURG-TLX) score, heart rate, and pupil metrics] were evaluated. The assessments were peg transfer [McGill Inanimate System for Training and Evaluation of Laparoscopic Skills (MISTELS)] and suturing [Suturing Training and Testing (SUTT)] tasks performed using box trainers. Virtual teaching was conducted by expert trainers using a web-based streaming platform.

RESULTS

Technical challenges of delivering a virtual MIS skills course were addressed after a pilot course. Participants ( n =20) in the final course had similar baseline characteristics and were randomly allocated to F2F ( n =8) and virtual ( n =12) teaching groups. Participants in the online group completed the peg transfer task faster than the F2F group (11.25 min vs. 16.88 min; P =0.015). There were no significant differences in all other MISTELS and SUTT performance measures between groups. Cognitive workload parameters (SURG-TLX score, heart rate, and pupil metrics) were also similar between groups.

CONCLUSION

This study has demonstrated that virtual teaching of MIS skills using a web-based streaming platform is feasible and effective, providing the foundation for low-cost, effective, and scalable MIS skills programs in the future.

Objective assessment of cognitive fatigue: a bibliometric analysis

Aim

The objective of this study was to gain insight into the nature of cognitive fatigue and to identify future trends of objective assessment techniques in this field.

Methods

One thousand and eighty-five articles were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. R version 4.3.1, VOSviewer 1.6.20, CiteSpace 6.2.R4, and Microsoft Excel 2019 were used to perform the analysis.

Results

A total of 704 institutes from 56 countries participated in the relevant research, while the People's Republic of China contributed 126 articles and was the leading country. The most productive institute was the University of Gothenburg. Johansson Birgitta from the University of Gothenburg has posted the most articles (n = 13). The PLOS ONE published most papers (n = 38). The Neurosciences covered the most citations (n = 1,094). A total of 3,116 keywords were extracted and those with high frequency were mental fatigue, performance, quality-of-life, etc. Keywords mapping analysis indicated that cognitive fatigue caused by continuous work and traumatic brain injury, as well as its rehabilitation, have become the current research trend. The most co-cited literature was published in Sports Medicine. The strongest citation burst was related to electroencephalogram (EEG) event-related potential and spectral power analysis.

Conclusion

Publication information of related literature on the objective assessment of cognitive fatigue from 2007 to 2024 was summarized, including country and institute of origin, authors, and published journal, offering the current hotspots and novel directions in this field.

Hard shell, soft core? Multi-disciplinary and multi-national insights into mental toughness among surgeons

Background

With the prevalence of burnout among surgeons posing a significant threat to healthcare outcomes, the mental toughness of medical professionals has come to the fore. Mental toughness is pivotal for surgical performance and patient safety, yet research into its dynamics within a global and multi-specialty context remains scarce. This study aims to elucidate the factors contributing to mental toughness among surgeons and to understand how it correlates with surgical outcomes and personal well-being.

Methods

Utilizing a cross-sectional design, this study surveyed 104 surgeons from English and German-speaking countries using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ-18) along with additional queries about their surgical practice and general life satisfaction. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to investigate the variations in mental toughness across different surgical domains and its correlation with professional and personal factors.

Results

The study found a statistically significant higher level of mental toughness in micro-surgeons compared to macro-surgeons and a positive correlation between mental toughness and surgeons' intent to continue their careers. A strong association was also observed between general life satisfaction and mental toughness. No significant correlations were found between the application of psychological skills and mental toughness.

Conclusion

Mental toughness varies significantly among surgeons from different specialties and is influenced by professional dedication and personal life satisfaction. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to foster mental toughness in the surgical community, potentially enhancing surgical performance and reducing burnout. Future research should continue to explore these correlations, with an emphasis on longitudinal data and the development of resilience-building programs.