Nurses’ perception regarding their health and working conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Objective: to identify working conditions and their effects on nursing professionals’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the workers’ own perceptions. Methods: qualitative research carried out with 15 nursing professionals interviewed through online focus group. We analyzed the interviews content based on hermeneutics-dialectics. Results: nurses reported that the pandemic worsened their historic, chronic, and precarious working and health conditions, marked by increased workload, lack of personal protection equipment and material resources, shortage of professionals and devaluation of their jobs, generating a perceived dehumanization at work, with nurses feeling as “machines” and “numbers”. Mental suffering due to the risk of contamination, the frequent death of co-workers, patients, and family members, lack of societal support concerning protective measures, and the increasing demands for performance and productivity generates anxiety, depression, and stress. Conclusion: the COVID-19 pandemic enhanced nurses’ mental suffering and the precariousness of their work, urging the improvement of their working conditions and health promotion, essential for workers’ protection and dignity.