Abstract
Contemporary healthcare environments are characterized by the increasing incorporation of technologies, monitoring equipment, warning systems, and multiple sources of information designed to improve safety and responsiveness among healthcare teams. However, when these resources coexist with excessive alarms, high noise levels, frequent interruptions, inadequate lighting, time pressure, and constant task switching, professionals' mental workload may increase significantly. This study aims to analyze, from a cognitive ergonomics perspective, the influence of environmental conditions on mental fatigue, attention, information processing, decision-making, and the occurrence of care-related errors. This is a narrative literature review based on national and international studies addressing ergonomics, human factors, patient safety, nursing, alarm fatigue, occupational noise, lighting, and cognitive workload. Evidence indicates that continuous exposure to excessive and non-actionable alarms may result in desensitization, reduced ability to distinguish priority alerts, and delayed responses, a phenomenon known as alarm fatigue. Simultaneously, environmental noise and inadequate lighting conditions may interfere with concentration, communication, alertness, and performance during prolonged work shifts, particularly in intensive care units, emergency departments, and highly technological environments. It is concluded that patient safety does not depend solely on individual professional competence but also on the ergonomic suitability of work systems and environments. Strategies involving intelligent alarm management, reduction of avoidable noise, appropriate lighting design, workflow organization, reduction of unnecessary interruptions, and incorporation of cognitive ergonomics principles may contribute to reducing mental fatigue and strengthening safety culture within healthcare institutions.