Satisfação profissional dos enfermeiros em Cuidados de Saúde Primários: O caso do Centro de Saúde de Barcelos/ Barcelinhos

Abstract

IntroductionProfessional satisfaction has been seen, in recent decades, as an important condition, if not essential, to achieve the improvement of the functioning of companies and other organizations. This study aimed to know the main determinants of professional satisfaction of nurses who work in Primary Health Care (CSP), namely, in Barcelos/ Barcelinhos Health Centre (CS). MethodsField work was carried out between March and December 2006, based on a quantitative methodological approach and descriptive analysis, through a questionnaire on job satisfaction, designed by Graça1, and validated for the Portuguese Health Centres reality.The target population was composed by 75 nurses working in the aforesaid Health Centre. Data treatment followed the methodological orientations of the questionnaire's author. SPSS® 13.0 was used for statistical analysis, including tests qui-square and ANOVA to explore the relations between the different variables. ResultsThe results show that: (i) nurses working in Barcelos/Barcelinhos Health Centre are satisfied with positive human interplay establish with the patients and dissatisfied with their payment; (ii) nurses, principally those who work in extensions, don’t feel properly protected against physical, chemical, biological, and/or psychosocial risk factors that they are exposed at work in the absence of an effective occupational health and safety management system; (iii) nurses with increased duties, that require them other competences, decision responsibilities and larger specification in their work, present greater professional satisfaction and less disposition to leave their work; (iv) precarious employment in Primary Health Care is another important factor of professional dissatisfaction. ConclusionsIn this specific case, we verify that the factors that positively influence job satisfaction in primary health care nursing are intimately connected to the professional/ client relationship. On the other hand, the factors that negatively influence professional satisfaction index are related with the ongoing labour policy and the present national economic situation, both factors severely limiting National Health Service human resources development.