Nurses' working environment in primary care: perceptions and repercussions on professional practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The work environment in primary health care (PHC) significantly influences nursing practice and job satisfaction.
• Understanding nurses' perceptions is vital for developing supportive and healthy work settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore primary health care nurses' perceptions of their work environment.
• To analyze the impact of the work environment on professional practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, exploratory-descriptive study with 16 PHC nurses in Manaus.
• Semi-structured interviews analyzed using Reflective Thematic Analysis.
• Grounded in the Healthy Work Environment conceptual framework.

Main Results:

• Key themes included work conditions (overload, infrastructure, risks), interpersonal dynamics (leadership, conflict), motivation (recognition, autonomy), worker well-being (lack of policies, training), and perceptions of a healthy environment.
• Nurses identified overload, inadequate infrastructure, and interpersonal conflicts as major challenges.
• Recognition, purpose, autonomy, team collaboration, and psychosocial factors were crucial for job satisfaction and well-being.

Conclusions:

• Organizational support and professional recognition are essential for a healthy PHC work environment.
• Team collaboration and recognition can mitigate negative impacts of overload and poor infrastructure.
• Local strategies like safety protocols, psychosocial support, and schedule reorganization can improve the work environment.