Psychosocial factors and mental work load: a reality perceived by nurses in intensive care units

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the perception of psychosocial factors and mental workload of nurses who work in intensive care units. It is hypothesised that nurses in these units could perceive psychosocial risks, manifesting in a high mental work load. The psychosocial dimension related to the position's cognitive demands is hypothesised to mostly explain mental work load. METHOD: Quantitative study, with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design. A total of 91% of the intensive care unit populations of three Chilean hospitals was surveyed, corresponding to 111 nurses. The instruments utilised included (A) a biosociodemographic history questionnaire; (b) the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 questionnaire; and (c) the Mental Work Load Subjective Scale (ESCAM, in Spanish). RESULTS: In total, 64% and 57% of participants perceived high levels of exposure to the psychosocial risks Psychosocial demands and Double shift, respectively. In addition, a medium-high level of overall mental load was observed. Positive and significant correlations between some of the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 and ESCAM dimensions were obtained. Using a regression analysis, it was determined that three dimensions of the psychosocial risk questionnaire helped to explain 38% of the overall mental load. CONCLUSION: Intensive care unit nurses felt that inadequate psychosocial factors and mental work overload existed in several of the tested dimensions.

Labor conditions and the meanings of nursing work in Barcelona

“…The vision provided by the participants is also consistent with what the literature reports regarding the dark side of the characteristics and tendencies of working conditions in general, both for their psychosocial risk factors 16 - 18 and because of the lack of wellbeing in health care work 5 - 7 , 10 - 12 , 26 - 27 , 30 - 31 .…”

“…The role of moderating variables in some of these effects, such as control of process and work content, horizontal and vertical social support, degree of adjustment between demands and labor resources, and the work-family balance or emotional load, has also been studied 12 - 15 . Some research reports the economic and human cost of the lack of prevention of psychosocial risks in work in general and particularly in health care services 16 - 18 .…”

Risks of illness in the work of the nursing team in a psychiatric hospital

“…Studies also identified that nurses perceived harmful levels of psychosocial factors in the work environment, among which were lack of defined roles, lack of autonomy and little social and instrumental support from colleagues and superiors 4 , 43 .…”

Cargas De Trabalho E a Saúde Do Trabalhador De Enfermagem: Revisão Integrativa

“…O ritmo de trabalho dos trabalhadores de enfermagem também é destaque nas produções científicas (19,31,33,37) , assim como a carga horária excessiva de trabalho exercida pelos trabalhadores (15,17,19,(27)(28)32,34,39,(42)(43) , dimensionamento inadequado (55)(56) , dificuldade nas relações interpessoais (55) , e estes são considerados fatores determinantes da carga psíquica.…”

“…Outras consequências estão voltadas ao desgaste emocional (11,16,23,27,33,36,39,49) , associado à ocorrência de acidentes e problemas de saúde (11) , preocupação, perda de sono, ansiedade, medo, descontrole emocional, problemas no relacionamento com a família (24) , desgaste físico e emocional (27,29,56) . A falha de memória, dificuldade de concentração, medo de cometer erros (13) , e perturbações do sono (13,(37)(38) também são influências das cargas de trabalho na saúde do trabalhador.…”