A robust test that reliably demonstrates implicit memory during general anaesthesia is required. The Word Stem Completion (WSC) test has been used as a measurement tool in a number of recent studies that have detected implicit memory during anaesthesia. However, target words used in the WSC test need to be culturally appropriate in order to maximize the sensitivity of the test. Therefore, fifty postoperative patients with English as a first language were recruited at The Royal Melbourne Hospital in order to assess the frequency of 98 target words in response to a word stem presentation. This generated a list of 32 target words that is suitable for use in studies of implicit memory during anaesthesia in Australian patients.
