Abstract

FERREIRA MARTINS, Vaneila; MORAES FERREIRA, Vania  and  GUILHEM, Dirce. Psychophysiological consequences arising from the stress of everyday life and work activities. Salud Ment [online]. 2013, vol.36, n.2, pp.141-147. ISSN 0185-3325.

ABSTRACT Introduction Stress is a common phenomenon among nursing professionals and has received special attention, particularly in relation to the lifestyle characteristic of the contemporary world, which promotes various diseases due to an organic imbalance. Objective and method The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychophysiological consequences of activities in the workplace and everyday life in 408 nursing professionals and to identify ways to improve personal and occupational well-being. A quantitative-qualitative, descriptive and exploratory population-based study was performed. Results The results showed that the majority of the sample worked double shifts and viewed themselves as "sometimes stressed". A significant proportion of the professionals experienced verified illnesses, including many chronic-degenerative diseases and neuropathies. Pharmacotherapy was the main treatment used to alleviate the psychophysiological problems and most professionals never used alternative therapies (e.g., psychotherapy) as a way to reduce their stress. Conclusions The results suggest that the professionals studied demonstrated psychophysiological alterations resulting from stressors that arise in the workplace and in everyday life. The response to these stressors, although it was frequently not perceived, culminates in several chronic diseases. To cope with these stressful events, individuals must increase their self-esteem and cultivate a more harmonious and balanced work and personal life.

Keywords : Behaviour; health care; nursing; professional practice; quality of life; physiological stress.

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