INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CONGRESS -II
MENTAL WORKLOAD IN OPERATING ROOM NURSES
Mental workload is the mental work performance required by a person to complete a task for a certain period of time. Mental workload is a comprehensive phenomenon that includes time constraints, cognitive effort and stress. Cognitive workload, which is affected by the responsibilities of the task and the distinction between the social environment where the work takes place and personal resources, is a very comprehensive feature that addresses the stress management levels, attention levels and mental efforts of individuals. Mental workload is also called spiritual, in other words, psychological workload. It is the dose of activity shown by the brain, the use of resources in the brain, mental difficulty or the ability of the individual to use the data at hand in the place where he works. Mental workload causes the individual to perceive himself as unauthorized over time, to underestimate his skills, and to be dissatisfied even if he fulfills the job according to its criteria. Factors such as technological developments, role confusion, having many responsibilities, a stressful work environment, the difficulty of the work being done, and problems arising from the deadlines for the work affect mental workload. Mental load is quite high in operating rooms, which are difficult, complex and stressful working environments. Operating room nurses work in an environment that requires high levels of attention, quick decision-making and complex information processing, which increases their mental workload. In addition, long working hours and fatigue can also cause a decrease in mental capacity. Various strategies should be implemented to manage and reduce mental workload. According to Jennings, education and support programs can help nurses better manage their workload. Nurses working with a well-managed workload provides a healthier and more productive work environment, which contributes to increasing nurses' professional satisfaction and enables them to provide higher quality care to patients.
