The Relationship Between Mental Workload and Fatigue in Emergency Department Nurses

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Workload is main factor affecting fatigue. Fatigue is one of the most important issues in work environments which causes reduce the quality of work, increases errors and accidents. The aim of the study is determination of the relationship between mental workload and fatigue in emergency department nurses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study, the relationship between mental workload and fatigue in nurses who are working in Ble, Mergasor and Ashti General three hospitals in the emergency department were investigated. Total 65 voluntary nurses were composed the sample of the study. Data collection tools consisted of three demographic characteristics, fatigue (CIS20R) and mental workload (NASA-TLX) questionnaires. Data were gathered between December 2018 and January 2019, after the ethics committee approval. Descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient and One-way ANOVA tests were used in analysis of the data. RESULTS: In the present study, despite the lack of a statistically significant relation between the mental workload and fatigue, different degrees of mental workload and fatigue were found among the nurses of the emergency department’ CONCLUSION: Mental workload and fatigue can negatively affect the nurses’ satisfaction and their performance, and consequently affect the implication of nursing process or in other word the provision of safe care for patients negatively. It is recommended that implement comprehensive, systematic and continuous education programs to increase the level of tolerance and resilience of emergency department nurses.