Health symptoms and impacts of work on nursing professionals in a public hospital

To relate self-reported health symptoms and the impacts of work in terms of physical, social, and psychological illness in nursing professionals.

Cross-sectional, correlational study carried out in a public hospital in the southern region of Brazil. A sample of nursing professionals who worked in direct care participated in the study. A social-occupational questionnaire of self-reported health symptoms and the Work-Related Damage Assessment Scale were used. The analysis was descriptive and analytical. Chi-square test and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used, with a significance level of 5%.

A total of 308 professionals participated, with a prevalence of physical illness and higher means for pain in the body, legs and back. Significant relations were identified among the social-occupational variables, health symptoms, and physical, social or psychological illness. High and moderate correlations among the factors investigated were evidenced.

The impact of work on nursing professionals' health is evidenced by the association between self-reported health symptoms and illness, especially the physical or social one, and reinforces the need for professional awareness over situations that are harmful to health.