Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

Background and Objective: Nurses are people who do important works in hospitals. Studies have shown that the strain level among nurses has inverse relation to the quality of care provided by them. One of the factors that can affect the nurse's behavior and performance in the workplace is mental workload. The aim of this study was to assess the mental workload and its affected factors among the nursing staff.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among the nursing staff of Kashan educating hospitals during 2014. Sampling was performed by census among 480 nurses at six Treatment center. Demographic information and mental workload data were gathered by using demographic information questionnaire and NASA task load index, respectively. The data were analyzed by using t-test, one way ANOVA and Pierson correlation confession analytical tests.

Results: Effort score (78.61±18.15) and frustration score (47.82±30.91) obtained the highest and lowest rates. Total mental workload was estimated 69.54±15.71. There was significant relationship between mental workload factors and age, shift working and type of contract. But, there was no significant relationship between mental workload and work experience work duration and working unit.

Conclusion: The mental workload among the nursing staff is high. According to the relationship between mental workload aspects, performing the corrective actions in order to reduce each aspects can affect on mental workload perfectly.

Key words: Nursing staff, Mental workload, NASA-TLX

Funding: This research was funded by Kashan University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Kashan University of Medical Sciences approved the study. 

How to cite this article: Sarsangi V, Saberi HR, Hannani M, Honarjoo F, Salim Abadi M, Goroohi M, Kazemi H. Mental Workload and Its Affected Factors among Nurses in Kashan Province during 2014 J RafsanjanUniv Med Sci 2015 14(1): 25-36. [Farsi]