Work and Mental Distress among Nurses in the Amazon Region of Brazil during the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between psychopathological symptoms and the social, clinical, and occupational profile of nurses in the Amazon region of Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional online study was conducted in 2020 with 261 nurses. The Symptom Assessment Scale-40 was utilized.

RESULTS

The presence of pre-existing conditions before the pandemic was associated with psychotism (p=0.044). Experiencing constraints and/or violence at work during the pandemic was associated with somatization (p=0.025), and working hours were associated with anxiety (p=0.025). Nurses predominantly exhibited symptoms related to fear (33.7%), tension (34.5%), and a sense that something is wrong in the mind (22.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant association was observed between working hours and anxiety symptoms, the experience of constraints and/or violence at work during the COVID-19 pandemic and somatization symptoms, as well as between pre-existing conditions and psychotism symptoms related to COVID-19.

The potential of games for vulnerable groups like refugees: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To map existing studies on the development of games for refugees, identifying the developed games, characteristics and possible application to health care.

METHOD

A scoping review study, carried out in July 2022, using the MEDLINE® (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), CINAHL® (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), SPORTDiscus, Scopus, SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases.

RESULTS

8 studies were identified, with 8 different types of games published between 2016 and 2022. The characteristics of the games found essentially fall on their use to increase empathy towards refugees.

CONCLUSION

This study identifies opportunities to strengthen the current body of knowledge in nursing, using games as ways of welcoming, training and integrating populations in situations of social vulnerability in which refugees find themselves.

Efeito do discurso de heroísmo na implicação profissional de enfermeiros na pandemia de COVID-19

Objetivo: analisar os efeitos do discurso de heroísmo na implicação profissional de enfermeiros na pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: estudo qualitativo, realizado de abril a junho de 2020, pelo método bola de neve, com 598 enfermeiros do Brasil, por meio do Google Forms®. Foi conduzido à luz do referencial teórico da Análise Institucional, que busca compreender e transformar a realidade social quanto às dimensões ideológicas (maneira de pensar e representar a profissão), libidinal (produções e rearranjos realizados com a profissão por meio do desejo) e organizacional (base material para o exercício da profissão). Resultados: na dimensão ideológica, o discurso de heroísmo sobre os enfermeiros envolve o não reconhecimento social da profissão e a figura do herói, que não se veem assim, pois atuam em más condições de trabalho e estão em constante risco de morte. Na libidinal, de forma ambígua, os enfermeiros se identificam com o discurso de heroísmo quando há admiração da população, reconhecimento social e satisfação com o trabalho, mesmo em meio a sentimentos de aflição, impotência, tristeza e medo. Por fim, na dimensão organizacional, o discurso se implica com melhores condições de trabalho, salários e carga horária reduzida, necessários à prestação de cuidados com qualidade e segurança. Conclusão: os efeitos do discurso de heroísmo estão implicados nas três dimensões e remetem ao processo sócio-histórico de constituição da profissão, associando os enfermeiros à figura de herói. Os enfermeiros questionam veementemente essa posição, uma vez que as condições precárias de trabalhos às quais estão expostos são bem reais.

COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Nursing Professionals in Brazil: Associations between Social and Clinical Contexts and Psychopathological Symptoms

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an important negative psychological impact on people worldwide, especially nursing professionals who seem to be more vulnerable to the development of psychopathological symptoms. Objective: To analyze relationships between variables from the social and clinical contexts with psychopathological symptoms in nursing professionals from different geographic regions of Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out with 1737 nursing professionals from the five regions of Brazil. Data collection was carried out online with a questionnaire made available via Google Forms containing sociodemographic, occupational, and clinical questions, and the Symptom Assessment Scale-40-R, for the assessment of psychopathological symptoms. Differences between mean scores for the severity of psychopathological symptoms were assessed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskall-Wallis tests. Results: There was a significant difference in the psychoticism domain scores according to Brazilian geographic region, with greater severity among professionals from the North and Northeast regions when compared with those from the South region. Social context variables (gender, age group, and marital status) and clinical variables (psychological and psychiatric follow-up; psychological or emotional support by the institution; family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker with COVID-19, and death among them; use of psychiatric medication without a medical prescription; and taking steps to take care of their mental health) were significantly related to psychopathological symptoms. Conclusions: The results point to the importance of mental health promotion strategies for professionals through psychological or emotional support, as evidence indicates that this support can be a predictor of reduced psychological distress.

Relationship Between Psychopathological Symptoms, Coping Strategies and Sexual Orientation of Nursing Professionals in Pandemic COVID-19

The aim of this study is to identify the relationship between psychopathological symptoms, coping strategies, and the sexual orientation of Brazilian nursing professionals in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional and analytical study with 1737 nurses, midwives, nursing assistants, and technicians, working at different levels of health care, direct assistance and/or administrative/managerial assistance, and linked to teaching and research. These included socio-demographic data, Psychopathological Symptom Assessment Scale, and coping strategies inventory. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon, Mann–Whitney, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used, with a significance level of 0.05. Statistically significant differences were evidenced between psychoticism; obsessiveness-compulsivity; somatization and anxiety, indicating mental suffering. Bisexual professionals showed greater severity of psychopathological symptoms. As for the coping strategy, there is a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of Withdrawal, Responsibility, Escape from Fear, and Self-Control, according to sexual orientation. The factors Withdrawal, Self-control, and Responsibility had higher means in bisexuals (p < 0.05) and lower means in confrontation (p > 0.05). In homosexuals, the highest mean scores were for the problem solving and social support factors (p > 0.05) and lowest in the Withdrawal factor (p < 0.05). Among heterosexuals, the highest mean score was in confrontation (p > 0.05) and the lowest in avoidance (p < 0.05). This study reinforces the importance of reflecting on the life context and work settings of nursing professionals, especially bisexual women, through the influence of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on their mental health. The data can guide actions that minimize the impacts on mental health, in addition to recognizing, based on the findings, a collective complaint from the professional category to the health authorities and competent bodies, as a way of explaining the context experienced in the locus of their work.

Primary health care nurses: attitudes towards the person with mental disorder

OBJECTIVE

To identify the attitudes of nurses working in Primary Health Care towards the person with mental disorder and the variables related to health care provided.

METHODOLOGY

Descriptive, correlational study with 250 nurses from 69 Basic Health Units in the city of São Paulo. Data collection took place between April and August 2019 using the "Opinions about Mental Illness" scale. The data were analyzed using the KrusKal-Wallis test, with a 95% confidence level and statistical significance of p <0.05.

RESULTS

The global mean of the scale was 197, which shows negative attitudes especially in the dimensions of Authoritarianism (44.6), Social Restriction (42.0), and positive in the dimension of Benevolence (51.7).

CONCLUSION

Nurses tend to have a stigmatizing attitudinal profile. It is necessary formative and permanent intervention so that it is possible to reduce stigma and improve community-based care recommended in the guidelines of the Psychosocial Care Network.

Nurses' attitudes facing the family involvment in caring for people with mental disorder

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the attitudes of Primary Health Care nurses, regarding the involvement of the family in the care for people with Mental Disorder.

METHODS

Correlational study with 257 nurses from the city of São Paulo. The scale "Importance of Families in Nursing Care- Nurses' Attitudes" was used. For the analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used.

RESULTS

The scale scores were high, with a mean value of 82.1 (SD=8.4) favorable to the families' involvement, and are related to being a nurse in the Family Health Strategy (p<0.001), having received education/training in family nursing (p<0.005), the workload of 40 hours/week (p<0.005), working in the West, East and Center Regions (p<0.005).

CONCLUSION

Most nurses have positive attitudes towards the involvement of families, a relevant indicator for their inclusion in the health-mental care process.

Importance of families in nursing care for people with mental disorders: attitudes of Portuguese and Brazilian nurses

OBJECTIVE

To characterize and compare the attitudes of nurses working in primary healthcare on the importance of involving the families of people with mental disorders in nursing care.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study carried out in the cities of Porto (Portugal) and São Paulo (Brazil). Data was collected in 2018 using the "The Importance of Families in Nursing Care - Nurses' Attitudes" scale.

RESULTS

There were 250 Portuguese and 250 Brazilian nurses who participated. The total average score on the scale was 86.0 in Portugal and 82.1 in Brazil (with a maximum possible of 104). The variables which influence a more favorable attitude towards the involvement of families in nursing care in the Portuguese context are academic qualifications and age, while in Brazil they are training on Family Nursing and the weekly workload.

CONCLUSION

Participants in both countries have a positive attitude towards families, which constitutes a first step towards their integration in nursing care and also enables advances in mental health politics.

Importance of families in care of individuals with mental disorders: nurses' attitudes

Abstract Objectives: To characterize the attitudes of nurses working in primary health care on the importance of involving families in nursing care to the person with mental disorder. Method: A cross - sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach performed with 328 nurses who work in primary health care in Porto, Portugal. Families Importance in Nursing Care - Nurses Attitudes (FINC-NA) scale was applied. Results: Scale scores were elevated, mean value was 85.9 (Maximum possible 104). The significant correlations were with the variables: academic qualifications (p = 0.001), specialization (p = 0.002) and professional activity context (p = 0.001). Conclusion and implications for practice: Nurses demonstrate a high degree of agreement about the importance of families in nursing care to the person with mental disorder. Positive attitudes of nurses regarding the importance of involving families in care are fundamental to enhance the quality of care in the presence of mental disorder.

EDUCAÇÃO EM SAÚDE NO SERVIÇO DE HEMODINÂMICA: UMA REVISÃO INTEGRATIVA

Este artigo teve como objetivo conhecer as ações educativas em saúde realizadas no serviço de hemodinâmica acerca do exame de cineangiocoronariografia. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa, realizada no mês de outubro de 2016, com análise de publicações indexadas nas bases de dados: LILACS, BDENF, SCOPUS e PubMed no período de 2011 e 2016. Foram selecionados oito estudos que correspondiam aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão, sendo divididos em dois temas principais: déficit de conhecimento dos pacientes sobre cineangiocoronariografia e a construção do conhecimento por meio de diferentes abordagens metodológicas. Os resultados ressaltam a escassez de estudos voltados para essa temática no Brasil e a necessidade do uso de novas tecnologias metodológicas como fator de consolidação da educação em saúde no serviço de hemodinâmica.