Stress in an emergency room and the challenges for Brazilian and Portuguese nurses

Abstract

Background: Stress in the emergency room is a major public health issue, with a negative impact on the pro-fessionals’ lives. Objectives: To analyze Brazilian and Portuguese nurses’ opinion about the presence of stress in an emergency room. Methodology: Descriptive and qualitative study conducted with 120 professionals in a public healthcare in-stitution in Brazil and in another one in Portugal. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, processed using the Alceste software, version 4.7, and interpreted using thematic content analysis. Results: Two thematic blocks emerged: the work in the emergency room and its association with stress, and the emergency room: scenarios and challenges. Conclusion: Nurses experience stress in an emergency room as a result of feelings of dissatisfaction and diffi-culties in meeting patient needs while preserving human dignity.