Supporting emergency departments workers well-being: a systematic review of the literature on interventions

Emergency departments (EDs) are high-pressure environments where healthcare workers face ongoing acute and chronic stressors, increasing the risk of burnout, anxiety, and depression. These challenges affect staff well-being, job satisfaction, and patient care. Although various interventions have been developed to improve well-being, their effectiveness remains insufficiently understood. This systematic review aims to examine interventions targeting the well-being of ED healthcare workers, focusing on individual, group, and organizational-level strategies. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science) to identify peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2024. A total of 26 articles met inclusion criteria, each evaluating well-being interventions for ED staff. Studies were categorized by intervention type—individual, group, organizational, or multilevel—and outcomes assessed. Most interventions targeted the individual level (n = 21), including mindfulness training, resilience programs, and educational approaches. Fewer studies addressed group (n = 1), organizational (n = 2), or multilevel (n = 2) interventions. Eighteen studies reported improvements in at least one well-being outcome, most commonly reductions in stress and burnout. However, only six included long-term follow-up. Overall, interventions in ED settings primarily focus on individual-level strategies and demonstrate short-term benefits. Less frequent multilevel approaches may provide more sustainable improvements. Future research should emphasize longer follow-up periods, robust study designs, and context-specific implementation to better assess and enhance the effectiveness of well-being interventions for ED healthcare workers.