Medidas de proteção adotadas por enfermeiras na pandemia da Covid-19 em Unidades de Pronto Atendimento, à luz dos pressupostos para a saúde do trabalhador e da trabalhadora

Abstract

Study that deals with the protective measures adopted by nurses working in Emergency Care Units (UPAs) in a capital in the Brazilian Northeast, during the Covid-19 pandemic. The objectives were: to discuss the protection measures adopted by the researched nurses; to characterize the nurses regarding sociodemographic-occupational variables; identify the protective measures taken by nurses to avoid viral contamination; and, compare the results found with the legal-legal framework and the current normative instruments on the health of male and female health workers in the Covid-19 pandemic and in the relevant literature. It is a quantitative research, with a descriptive approach and cross-sectional. The data collection took place in July and August 2022, with 139 nurses who were effectively working in 05 Emergency Care Units, through an interrogation hosted on the Google Forms platform. The saved data were tabulated in absolute and relative frequency, organized in graphs, tables and charts. The results discussed, analyzed and felt with the support of the relevant literature, the legal-legal framework and the normative instruments (IN) for the health of the male and female worker in current health during the pandemic. Regarding sociodemographic data: 90.6% are female, 46% are between 30 and 40 years old, 64% are Catholic, 46% are married or in a stable union, 58.2% have children and 31.7% have a monthly family income between 4 and 5 minimum wages. Regarding occupational data: 28.1% have been working as nurses for less than 1 year, 79.1% have been working in the UPAs for less than 1 year, where 37.4% work 24 hours a week; it was possible to verify the type of employment of 69 (49.64%) nurses in the study, of which 98.55% had a fixed-term contract. Regarding the protective measures adopted by the nurses: hand hygiene with soap and water was reported by 99.3% in the UPA and 93.5% outside the workplace; with gel alcohol was affirmed by 82.7% in the UPA and 89.2% outside the workplace. Of the 15 normative instruments for workers' health in effect during the data collection period, 12 recommend hand hygiene as an effective measure of protection against contamination by SARS-CoV-2. The use of masks at all times in the UPA was reported by 67.6% of the respondents and 21.9% reported using them outside of work. The behavior in the UPA differs from that recommended by IN, that the use of a mask should be required for all health workers, continuously during all routine activities; 61.9% and 87.8% do not reuse the masks used in the UPA and outside it, respectively; 54% said They keep their distance from the people they serve. This research described three of the main protective measures recommended for health workers in the context of the pandemic; found elements of precarious work, such as low monthly family income, fragile employment and excessive weekly workload; and found delay, mismatch and contradictions in norms and recommendations expressing negligence in decision-making and normative positions of government and health authorities.