Enfrentamento da COVID-19 por trabalhadores de saúde da área hospitalar: vivências profissionais, pessoais e familiares

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the experience of health workers from a small hospital, facing the situation of the pandemic caused by Covid-19, analyzing the impacts on professional, family and personal life. Adopou-se a metodologia de abordagem qualitativa e exploratória. The study participants were 47 hospital health workers. Data collection was performed from April to August 2022, through the completion of a questionnaire and semi-structured interview, using the guiding questions: What is the impact of the pandemic on their work; what is the impact of the pandemic on their personal life; what is the impact of the pandemic in their family context. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under Opinion: 5.032.026, CAAE: 52037021.4.0000.5142. Data were analysed using content analysis and based on the psychodynamics of work. The results showed three categories and thirteen subcategories, which are: Category I - Impact of the pandemic by Covid-19 on the work of health workers; subcategories: work organization, working conditions, socioprofessional relationships and psychological and cognitive aspects. Category II Impact of the pandemic by Covid-19 on the personal life of health workers, in the subcategories: physical dimension, social dimension, post-covid and its sequelae, and positive impacts of the pandemic on the lives of health workers. Category III Impact of the pandemic by Covid-19 on the family life of health workers, subcategories: changes in family routine, children and the formal education system, falling ill during the pandemic by Covid-19, death of family members during the pandemic by Covid-19. It is considered that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on health workers in various functions was important, covering all three dimensions assessed. Mental suffering was unanimous and, thus, it is evident that, in the face of such unusual situations, it is necessary that health institutions create coping strategies and redefine the work process in terms of organization and working conditions, as well as socio- professional relationships. Because they are health workers, the pandemic situation may have worsened the impacts on the personal and family life of these people, increasing the suffering and interfering in several areas. The three dimensions analysed showed interrelationships, evidenced by fear, exposure to the virus, the possibility of being transmission vehicles, and social distancing.