Assessing Mental Workload and Factors that Influence it among Nursing Staff in Emergency Departments

Background and Considering the working problems of nursing staff who are concerned with human life in emergences is of great importance in emergency departments. Mental workload affects individual’s health and performance. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the mental workload and the factors that influence it among the nursing staff in emergency centers. A descriptive analytical study was conducted in nursing staff in emergency centers in Isfahan, Iran, 2015. Data was collected by census among 230 nurses in seven emergency departments using NASA-TLX scale to assess the nurses’ workload. Data was analyzed in SPSS V.16 applying t-test, one way ANOVA and Pierson correlation confession analytical tests. Total mental workload was estimated to be 66.44±11.92. The highest and lowest scores were observed for effort (80.00±19.43) and frustration (34.47±26.08), respectively. There were no significant associations between age, experience, sex and shift work with mental workload (P>0.05). But significant relationship was seen between type of contract and mental workload. Mental workload among emergency nursing staff was found to be high, therefore, appropriate actions are required to reduce the mental workload and mental pressure.