Psycho-emotional status related to working conditions among nurses: A scoping review

Nurses are at significant risk for mental health issues due to challenging work environments, which in turn affect the quality of patient care. Factors such as heavy workloads, strained relationships, and lack of support contribute to stress, anxiety, and burnout among nurses. The emotional toll on nurses impacts their well-being and compromises patient care and the overall healthcare system. This study aims to comprehensively describe the main psycho-emotional problems nurses face in their work environments. A scoping review was conducted, focusing on reviews and meta-analyses published from ۲۰۱۸ onwards in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. The search was performed using databases including Embase, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, SciELO, LILACS, and BDENF. After applying inclusion criteria and screening processes, nine articles were selected for analysis. The findings reveal that various work environment factors, such as high workload, workplace violence, insufficient preparation, patient isolation during the pandemic, and lack of resources, lead to significant emotional and psychological issues for nurses. These issues manifest as fear, worry, unpreparedness, loneliness, frustration, sadness, and anger. Symptoms experienced by nurses include emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and unresolved grief. These psycho-emotional problems affect individual nurses and hinder their ability to provide quality patient care, impacting healthcare institutions overall.

Keywords:

Occupational health , Nursing , Nurses , working conditions , mental health , emotional exhaustion , Occupational Stress