Author(s)

Lamia Bouzgarrou^1,2, Irtyah Merchaoui^1,3, Amira Omrane^1,2*, Nada Ameur², Jacques Malchaire⁴, Neila Chaari^1,3

¹Department of Occupational Medicine and Ergonomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia.
²Department of Occupational Medicine, University Hospital of Taher Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisia.
³Department of Occupational Medicine, University Hospital of Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisia.
⁴Hygiene and Work Physiology Unit, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

Objectives: To evaluate the perceived mental workload and to identify its individual and professional determinants among Tunisian caregivers in university hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in two university hospitals of the center of Tunisia, which employ 1179 paramedics providing care activities. The survey was conducted within a representative sample, of 301 caregivers assigned to 28 medical and surgical services, randomly drawn, after being paired according to age, gender and work schedule. It included structured inquiry (socio-professional characteristics, occupational perceived workload) and validated questionnaires (Job Content Questionnaire of Karasek, SF12, WAI). Results: Mental workload was perceived as “moderate” by 145 caregivers (48.49%) and as “heavy” by 119 caregivers (40.61% of them). Among the sample, 209 paramedics endured at least once the fixed night work schedules along their respective careers, with an average of 5.63 ± 7.54 years. According to the WAI index, 39.59% of subjects considered their capacity of work as low. Moreover, job strain was noted in 19.79%. Indeed, work latitude was unsatisfactory among 41% of caregiver, 60.1% of them mentioned the absence of colleagues’ support. A feeling of job insecurity was reported by 73.72% of subjects. Multi-varied analytic study concluded that heavier perceived mental work load was correlated to individual determinants particularly age >45 years (p < 10^-3), overweight or obesity (p = 0.02), more than three depending children (p < 10^-3), lower degree obtained (p < 10^-3), working grade as nurse assistant (P = 0.001), lower quality of physical life (0.010) and expressed willingness to retire early (p = 0.003). Conclusion: The heavy perception of mental workload associated to care activities, is one of the reasons of premature departure among nurses from professional activity. Preventive actions on professional determinants of perceived workload can reduce this phenomenon.

Mental Workload, Nurses, Ergonomic, Prevention

Bouzgarrou, L. , Merchaoui, I. , Omrane, A. , Ameur, N. , Malchaire, J. and Chaari, N. (2017) Ergonomic Evaluation of the Perceived Mental Workload among Tunisian University Hospital Caregivers. Open Journal of Nursing, 7, 1144-1156. doi: 10.4236/ojn.2017.710083.