Workplace Suffering among Young Nurses in the Medical and Surgical Emergency Department of Oran

Abstract

The early stages of a professional career often constitute a decisive period in an individual's occupational trajectory. After being introduced to the various dimensions of their future profession, newly graduated nurses are officially assigned to emergency departments. These departments represent demanding and, at times, undervalued work environments that frequently give rise to workplace suffering. For novice nurses, this experience is also associated with high levels of stress and chronic fatigue. This article aims to analyze the lived experiences of young nurses during their first professional assignments in the emergency department. Drawing on a qualitative study conducted among nurses working in the medical-surgical emergency department in Oran, Algeria, the study highlights the psychological and physical consequences of workplace suffering. The findings reveal that such experiences may lead novice nurses to question their professional career choices. Understanding, from the inside, the strategies they develop to cope with workplace suffering is therefore essential for improving their professional well-being and supporting their integration into the healthcare system.