Date of Award

12-2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Legacy Department

Applied Psychology

Committee Chair/Advisor

Pak, Richard

Committee Member

Gugerty , Leo

Committee Member

Tyrrell , Rick

Abstract

The nursing environment is replete with event-based and time-based prospective memory (PM) tasks (i.e. high prospective load). However, the effects of time-based prospective load, prospective load in naturalistic settings, and prospective load with unique retrospective components for each PM task remains unknown. To address this gap, the current study used a mockup patient room setting to examine the effects of PM type (event-based or time based) and prospective load (1 vs. 4 tasks) with unique prospective and retrospective components) on ongoing task and PM task performance. Registered nurses completed an ongoing documentation task while also remembering to perform 1 or 4 PM nursing tasks at a certain time (time-based) or certain patient name (event-based). Results indicated that having an event-based intention decreased performance on the prospective component of the PM task and slowed performance on the ongoing task. Having a time-based intention in the one load condition positively affected timeliness of performing the PM task and number of records completed. Performance on the retrospective components of the PM task was equal across groups, but post retrospective recall of tasks was worse in the high prospective load conditions.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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