Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of emotional labor for employee mental health and patient satisfaction in the healthcare industry, the research structure in this field still lacks coherence and clarity. A systematic literature review on emotional labor in medical services is urgently needed to advance the development of this area. This study utilizes bibliometric methods to comprehensively understand the knowledge structure and research hotspots related to emotional labor in the healthcare sector. We retrieved 1,000 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection database and analyzed them using CiteSpace, revealing significant research clusters, and emerging trends in this field. The results indicate that the evolution of emotional labor research in healthcare primarily focuses on critical themes such as the impact of emotional labor on healthcare workers' mental health, strategies for managing emotional labor, and the role of organizational support. Additionally, this study identifies essential gaps in the existing literature and suggests potential directions for future research, particularly regarding healthcare professionals' emotional regulation and mental health. This research provides a visual knowledge map that enhances the understanding of emotional labor in the healthcare sector, offering valuable insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers aiming to promote the emotional well-being of healthcare workers.
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