Identifying and validating perceived workload metrics for emergency medical services
Ercolani, Jenna Cure, Laila Misasi, Paul
Ercolani, Jenna
Cure, Laila
Misasi, Paul
Authors
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Time Period
Advisors
Original Date
Digitization Date
Issue Date
2024
Type
Article
Genre
Keywords
Emergency services,Crew members,Emergency medical services,Load index,Logistics regressions,NASA-task load index,Workload,NASA
Subjects (LCSH)
Citation
Ercolani, J., Cure, L., Misasi, P. Identifying and validating perceived workload metrics for emergency medical services. (2024). Applied Ergonomics, 118, art. no. 104270. DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2024.104270
Abstract
The most common workload surrogates used by Emergency Medical Services (EMS)--overall call volume (CV) and unit hour utilization (UHU)--have not been validated. This study investigates the relationship between EMS operational metrics and perceived workload, measured through the NASA task load index (TLX) survey. We paired crew member survey responses with the operational metrics based on dispatch data. Linear regression was used to evaluate the influence of each metric on perceived workload. Logistic regression was used to identify values of workload indicating a fair day's work. We found that the overall CV (p < 0.001, $R^2$=0.32) and UHU (p < 0.001, $R^2$=0.22) explained less variability in perceived workload than a priority (P)-stratified CV (p < 0.001, $R^2$=0.41). However, we found no clear fair day's workload threshold. We conclude that a priority-stratified CV is a better workload surrogate than a CV and UHU. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd
Table of Contents
Description
Publisher
Elsevier Ltd
Journal
Applied Ergonomics
Book Title
Series
Digital Collection
Finding Aid URL
Use and Reproduction
Archival Collection
PubMed ID
ISSN
0036-870