[Working conditions of nurses at public hospitals 1980 to 1990]

The 1988 and 1991 strikes among nurses were motivated by claims concerning the status of the nursing profession, wages and working conditions. A study of working conditions was carried out from two samples: 1) a cohort of nurses (N = 571) recruited in 7 hospitals and followed up in 1980 (follow up rate: 85%) and in 1990 (follow up rate: 69%); 2) a sample of nurses who began to work in the same settings between 1985 and 1989 (N = 108). The results indicate no improvement in the organisation of shiftwork on the 10 years period. Working conditions deteriorated during the last 5 years. These findings are discussed in the light of the global evolution of hospital and of the specific problems of the nursing profession.