Stress in nursing workers caring for people with COVID-19.

Abstract

Objectives: to analyze stress from the perspective of nursing workers caring for people with COVID-19 in a public hospital in the Recôncavo region of Bahia.

Methods: this is an exploratory qualitative study, conducted through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using word clouds, similarity trees, and content analysis.

Results: nursing workers were exposed to stress while attending to patients with COVID-19. The reported stressors in the workplace included: work overload, lack of planning, speed in performing tasks, fatigue, lack of participation in decision-making, lack of support from management, technological changes, excessive responsibility without preparation, interpersonal conflicts, and professional undervaluation.

Conclusions: exposure to these stressors leads to emotional exhaustion and demotivation, which were intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.