Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Pediatric Nursing, cilt.87, ss.353-362, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Background Pediatric nurses face heavy workloads, long shifts, inadequate staffing, and the emotional demands of caring for vulnerable children, leading to physical, emotional, and cognitive fatigue. Such fatigue may increase the risk of ethical blindness, defined as difficulty in recognizing or responding to ethical issues. This study aimed to assess levels of work fatigue and ethical blindness and to examine their relationship. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey between April and August 2025. Data were collected using an anonymous online questionnaire including the Three-Dimensional Work Fatigue Inventory and the Workplace Ethical Blindness Scale. Analyses were performed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results A total of 240 nurses participated, most aged 36–45 years with more than 11 years of experience. Overall, work fatigue was high, whereas ethical blindness was relatively low. Higher ethical blindness was observed among younger and less experienced nurses and those with lower professional satisfaction. Work fatigue was highest among pediatric intensive care nurses. Weak correlations were found between the routine dimension of ethical blindness and both physical and emotional fatigue. Discussion Professional motivation, voluntary career choice, and long-term experience may protect against ethical blindness. Workload regulation, motivational support, and structured ethics education are recommended to reduce fatigue-related risks and support ethical pediatric nursing care. Implications to practice Institutions should implement workload management strategies and integrate regular ethics education and reflective practices into professional development.