Determination of emotional labor behaviors and alarm fatigue levels of emergency room nurses

This study aims to examine the relationship between emotional labor behaviors and alarm fatigue levels among emergency department nurses. The emergency department is a unit characterized by intense emotional interactions, where both patients and their relatives frequently display heightened emotional responses. Therefore, it is essential for nurses to manage their emotional reactions within a professional framework. The study sample consisted of 398 nurses, including 167 women and 231 men. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Alarm Fatigue Scale, and the Emotional Labor Behaviors Scale. Sample size calculation was performed using the known population sampling formula, based on a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. The findings revealed a moderate, positive, and statistically significant relationship between emotional labor behaviors and alarm fatigue (r = 0.551; p = 0.001). Nurses were found to have generally high levels of emotional labor, with similarly high scores in the subdimensions of surface acting, deep acting, and natural emotional expression. This outcome aligns with the literature, which indicates that emotional labor becomes more pronounced in high-stress environments such as emergency departments. Variables such as gender, age, marital status, parental status, educational level, and membership in a professional organization did not demonstrate a significant association with emotional labor; however, years in the profession, years working in the emergency department, and satisfaction with being a nurse were found to have significant effects. vii The study also demonstrated that nurses experience a moderate level of alarm fatigue. In conclusion, the findings indicate that emergency department nurses exhibit high levels of emotional labor, experience moderate levels of alarm fatigue, and that there is a significant relationship between these two variables.