title: Psychosocial factors and mental work load: a reality perceived by nurses in intensive care units.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the perception of psychosocial factors and mental workload of nurses who work in intensive care units. It is hypothesised that nurses in these units could perceive psychosocial risks, manifesting in a high mental work load. The psychosocial dimension related to the position's cognitive demands is hypothesised to mostly explain mental work load.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative study, with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design. A total of 91% of the intensive care unit populations of three Chilean hospitals was surveyed, corresponding to 111 nurses. The instruments utilised included (A) a biosociodemographic history questionnaire; (b) the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 questionnaire; and (c) the Mental Work Load Subjective Scale (ESCAM, in Spanish).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 64% and 57% of participants perceived high levels of exposure to the psychosocial risks Psychosocial demands and Double shift, respectively. In addition, a medium-high level of overall mental load was observed. Positive and significant correlations between some of the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 and ESCAM dimensions were obtained. Using a regression analysis, it was determined that three dimensions of the psychosocial risk questionnaire helped to explain 38% of the overall mental load.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensive care unit nurses felt that inadequate psychosocial factors and mental work overload existed in several of the tested dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermería, Universidad de Concepción, Talca, Chile.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ceballos-Vásquez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología Cognitiva, Social y Organizacional, Universidad de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rolo-González
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología Cognitiva, Social y Organizacional, Universidad de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
authors.forename: Estefanía
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hérnandez-Fernaud
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psicología Cognitiva, Social y Organizacional, Universidad de la Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Díaz-Cabrera
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermería, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paravic-Klijn
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Enfermería, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burgos-Moreno
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult