Data-driven perceptual profiles of visual and auditory environmental features in emergency nursing units

Emergency nursing units are high-stress environments where environmental features may influence occupants’ sensory experiences. However, limited evidence exists on nurses’ evaluations of visual and auditory features in relation to stress-related perceptions. This study examined emergency nurses’ perceptions of visual and auditory features, their variation across participants’ characteristics, and their underlying perceptual structure within emergency nursing units. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 195 emergency nurses across 13 private hospitals in Tehran. Non-parametric tests with correction for multiple comparisons analysed perceived contributions to stress reduction. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses examined latent perceptual dimensions, while hierarchical cluster analysis derived perceptual profiles across visual, auditory and multisensory domains at hospital level. Participants reported comparable moderate contributions of visual and auditory features to stress reduction. Factor analyses supported latent dimensions across domains. Cluster analysis identified three exploratory hospital-level profiles characterized by low, mixed and moderate-to-high perceived contribution patterns. Differences across participant characteristics were limited and inconsistent. Nurses’ responses formed broader perceptual patterns across visual and auditory features rather than isolated features. These patterns suggest higher-level integration across sensory domains. The findings support a data-driven comparative approach for characterizing emergency nursing environments and selecting representative cases for future experimental studies in healthcare environments.