[Stressors in care at a thoracic surgery postoperative unit: nursing evaluation]

The aim of this descriptive study was to determine what events are perceived as stressful to patients in the thoracic surgery postoperative unit, according to nursing evaluation. Data were collected at two hospitals, where the intensive care nursing team members completed the questionnaire. A 4-point Likert scale was used to evaluate 42 possible stressors. The sample consisted of 58 nursing professionals. The average duration of their professional activities at the intensive care unit was 5.9 years. The average stressfulness score of the items was 2.97 (from little stressful to stressful). The most important stressors were: having pain, having tubes in nose and/or mouth, being tied down by tubes and not being able to sleep. We concluded that, according to nursing evaluation, the main stressors for patients are associated with the surgical procedure.