O trabalho das enfermeiras obstétricas na ótica das acadêmicas de enfermagem

Abstract

This is an exploratory, descriptive research with qualitative approach, whose object of study was the perceptions of nursing academics on the nurse-midwives’ organization of work in the maternity wards. This study aimed to describe how the nursing academics perceive the work organization of nurse-midwives who work in maternity wards and discuss the sufferings, pleasures and defenses that these academics present as a consequence of such organization. Thirteen nursing academics who fulfilled the inclusion criteria participated in the study. After approval by the Ethics Committee through the CAAE number 82003517.6.00005259, semi-structured interviews were held following a script which consisted of two parts: the first part was destined to the apprehension of the participants’ general characteristics; and the second part consisted of open topics based on the theoretical categories of Christophe Dejours. The data obtained, after the thematic content analysis of Bardin was applied, were grouped into two categories: “The academics’ perception about the work context of nurses”, with 53 RU and “Experience of suffering and pleasure by academics”, with 50 RU. The results showed that the academics realize the nurse-midwife has autonomy (16 RU) in childbirth. They also notice that the work of the generalist nurses favors more the filling out of forms and evolution sheets, as well as the delegation of activities (characteristics of bureaucratic authority), to the detriment of patient care. All the participants in the study realized the nurses’ leadership in the nursing work process. For the nursing academics, the recognition for the activities developed by them, the proximity of becoming a nurse and feeling useful to society are a source of pleasure and happiness. As a cause of suffering, the participants reported the lack of recognition and experiencing obstetric violence in maternity wards. It is concluded the need to rethink the training of nursing academics, since the aspects related to the nurses’ work organization - not only physical, but also social, cultural, environmental and emotional ones - reflect on the process of education and on the transformation of critical and reflective subjects able to assess the importance of work organization, thereby avoiding illness and alienation from the causes of suffering originating from a work organization that remains unchanged.