Health and medical work of neonatal ICU physicians: A study in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This article aims to know the perspective on health and the work of doctors in a neonatal intensive care in a public hospital in the state of Rio de Janeiro. To this end we carried out a qualitative and exploratory study. Thirteen individual and semistructured interviews with script questions were conducted. Regarding the analysis of the materials, we adopted the discourse analysis technique, and identified four empirical lines of discussion, namely: the current medical work setting elements; work in the NICU; doctors’ health and the practice of self-medication and the need for dialogue; gender in medical practice and pediatrics. It was found that the technical and organizational transformations of medical work are accelerating and generating significant consequences for the lives and health of these workers. We also found preponderance of the absence of stable employment relationships and precedence of choice for shifts of activity due to the current salary conditions, generating increased workload. The results confirmed the need for a comprehensive professional development policy that includes changes in work organization from workplaces, with the participation of employees.