Processo de trabalho da enfermeira na atenção primária à saúde no Rio Grande do Norte - Brasil

Abstract

Introduction: The consolidation of Primary Health Care (PHC) determines the commitment of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a public policy for universal health. Among the professionals that comprise it, nurses are the largest workforce in quantitative terms in health care. The work of nurses in PHC has been established as an instrument for changes in health care practices in the SUS, as it responds to the proposal of the new care model that is centered on comprehensive care, contributing to the strengthening of public health. Objective: Describe the work process of nurses working in Primary Health Care, of five municipalities, in Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast, Brazil. Methodology: This is a qualitative study. It is characterized as an extract from the multicenter research of national scope entitled Nursing Practices in the Context of Primary Health Care (PHC): National Study of Mixed Methods. The data collection instrument was the interview. The participants were 45 nurses. The qualitative results were obtained in five municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte. The data analysis method used was Content Analysis, with the support of the IRaMuTeQ software. Results and discussion: Three final categories emerged: “Nurses’ work process in PHC”; “Performance of PHC nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic” and “Autonomy and recognition for nurses in PHC”. Regarding the work process, a concentration in programmatic groups, group work and spontaneous demand was observed. Also, in this scenario, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the routine of the Basic Health Unit, revealing obstacles such as lack of infrastructure, supplies and overload. The survey of aspects about autonomy and professional recognition highlights prenatal consultations and work with groups as areas of greater autonomy, but there is still a lack of legal support that allows for more independent action. When relating these two variables it is clear that as Since autonomy is low, there is little resolution in the development of actions, contributing to the population's understanding of nurses as medical “assistants”. Final considerations: There is little use of the work potential of nurses in PHC, with the need for comprehensive legal support to act comprehensively in caring for people, without fragmentation.