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Revista Psicologia Organizações e Trabalho

On-line version ISSN 1984-6657

Abstract

MONTEIRO, Janine Kieling. Psychic suffering of intensive care unit workers. Rev. Psicol., Organ. Trab. [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.2, pp. 245-250. ISSN 1984-6657.

The organization of work (OW) contains aspects that can be decisive in the health and illness of workers. Suffering, which may culminate in mental illness, arises when negotiation is not possible between the subject and the reality imposed by the OW. Through a qualitative research study, this paper aims to discuss aspects of the organization of work in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) that may have contributed to psychological distress in health care workers. Eight nursing professionals, working in ICUs in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre/RS, who had mental disorders (depression and/or burnout), were interviewed. In the results, analyzed by content analysis, stand out: having little recognition at work, work intensification that generates overload, ethical crisis between personal values ​​and professional issues, institutional rigidities, and suffering from the death of patients. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship between mental health/illness and work in hospital settings, focusing both on the afflicted and on those who manage to stay healthy in an environment of such health risks. It is suggested that qualified listening can help these professionals alleviate the suffering caused by their work.

Keywords : Work Organization; Healthcare Workers; Intensive Care Units; Psychological Distress.

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