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Workload is a construct used to describe the extent to which an operator has engaged the cognitive and physical resources required for task performance. As task difficulty increases, operators allocate more resources to maintain acceptable performance. The purpose of the present study is to develop a technique to measure workload continuously, with high-resolution in real-time, and in a way that accounts for the contribution of multiple individual task components of the job of administering anesthesia. Workload associated with 51 clinical tasks performed by anesthesiologists was assessed using a written survey instrument, developed for this study. Participants were 241 anesthesia providers. Interval scale values were computed for each of the tasks using direct estimatation procedures. These values were then used to produce workload density maps for actual anesthesia cases by weighting the tasks performed during the case by their workload scale values. Moment-by-moment data on the specific tasks performed by anesthesiologists were obtained in real-time by trained observers during actual anesthetic cases. This type of analysis can be used to evaluate the costs associated with technical anesthesia procedures, increase our understanding of the anesthesiologist's job, and guide rational optimization of procedures, equipment, scheduling, and training.

Warnings research generally has focused on identifying which factors influence people to read and remember the content of warnings. Additional research has determined that people tend to read warnings if they perceive an activity or product to be dangerous or if they are less familiar with it. However, for practical purposes, reading the label or warning does not go far enough. In addition to examining whether warnings have been read, the current study also addresses user compliance by surveying people immediately after they have completed a high risk recreational activity (either skiing or scuba diving). The three areas examined in this study were whether the perception of danger affected the reading of, and compliance with warnings; whether familiarity with an activity affected reading and compliance; and whether there was any difference in responses between men and women. As expected, the perception of danger and familiarity with the activity increased the reading of and reported compliance with warnings. Many differences were found between the responses of men and women. Although there was no sex difference in whether subjects read warnings, women reported complying with the warnings significantly more than men. In accordance with stereotypes, men were more likely to participate in high-risk sports; claim to have a higher ability in the activity; and participated in the activity more often than the women (in the two years prior to this study).