Mental Workload and Burnout Among Emergency Department Nurses in the Era of Digitalization of Health Services

Emergency Department (ED) nurses work in a fast-paced environment that requires rapid clinical decisions, frequent task switching, and sustained attention. These demands may increase mental workload and contribute to burnout. This study examined the association between mental workload and burnout among ED nurses at Cilegon City Regional General Hospital in 2026. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational study with a cross-sectional design included all 32 nurses working in the ED (total sampling). Mental workload was assessed using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX), and burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Both measures were categorized using study-specific cutoffs, and the association was examined using the Chi-Square test with continuity correction. The univariate results showed that most respondents had high mental workload (53.1%) and high burnout (56.3%). A statistically significant association was observed (p = 0.036). Because the study involved a small, single-hospital population and used cross-sectional data, the findings should be interpreted cautiously and cannot establish causation or be generalized to other settings. The findings highlight the need to assess and reduce sources of mental workload and strengthen psychological support for ED nurses.