[Emotional climate in Primary Health Care teams. A qualitative approach]

The social interactions met in the Primary Health Care work teams are driven by important emotional aspects that affect the environment, results and the satisfaction of the professional and the patients. The objective of this work is to describe the emotional climate of Primary Care work teams, looking for the perceptions of different professional category and different work groups (selected by the quality of their emotional climate).

A qualitative methodology was used: 2 nominal groups and 2 focal groups, with 18 physicians and nurses working in the Andalusian Primary Health Care system. The information was recorded and then a content analysis was made.

Health care professionals identify the following explanatory dimensions: professional relationship (high scored), shared work project, professional recognition, leadership, burnout and personal attitudes, as well as work conditions. Different opinions were recorded among physicians and nurses, especially when the group had a bad emotional atmosphere.

More studies on the emotional climate in Primary Health Care are needed in order to propose strategies to improve satisfaction and quality of work life among professionals.