Cognition, autonomic function, and intellectual outcomes of the paramedical health-care personnel in the hospital settings

BACKGROUND: In the dedicated intensive care settings, health-care providers need to have higher temporal cognition and sympathovagal balance to optimally deliver critical care interventions. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to estimate the parameters of the temporal cognition and autonomic function of paramedical staffs in acute health-care settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study on 81 healthy adult paramedical personnel, temporal cognition was assessed using auditory reaction time (ART), visual reaction time (VRT), critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF), Stroop test (ST), and digits forward test (DFT); Autonomic functions were assessed by heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) variability, and all these outcomes were analyzed with their academic performance. RESULTS: Out of 81 healthy adult nonteaching technical personnel, majority was female; the mean age was 25.10 ± 3.93 years. Age and gender were not significantly related with screen times in terms of smartphone use, playing video games, or regularly using computer; academic performances were also not significantly related with screen times in terms of smartphone use, playing video games, or regularly using computer. In the conventional domains, during analysis of physiological and psychological variables under study, there was no significant relation with screen times when compared with HR, systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, body mass index, ART, VRT, CFFF, ST, and DFT. Playing video games and regular computer use were significantly correlated with age, gender, AP, CFFF, ST, and DFT. CONCLUSION: This study on paramedical personnel showed a positive relation of temporal cognition and sympathovagal autonomic balance with performing a task or function.