SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF MIDDLE-LEVEL NURSING PROFESSIONALS WHO WORKED IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CÁCERES

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: According to the Federal Nursing Council, nursing assistants and technicians make up the largest percentage of health professionals. There are more than 2 million professionals in the country and they perform the majority of direct patient care activities. OBJECTIVE: To describe the sociodemographic characteristics of mid-level nursing professionals working in the care of patients suspected of or infected with COVID-19. METHODOLOGY: This is an exploratory, cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, carried out from July to August 2022, in the interior of the state of Mato Grosso, with nursing technicians who worked directly with suspected and/or contaminated patients with Covid-19. RESULTS: The study involved the participation of 30 professionals, with a majority female population of 57%. Fifty percent declare themselves mixed race. The average age ranged from 31 to 40 years. 67% declared themselves married. The place of origin predominates in the western region of the state, with 43% of the city covered by the research. The period for completing the Nursing Technicians course varied between 1995 and 2020. Regarding the time since training, 40% had graduated between 5 and 10 years ago. CONCLUSION: Technicians played a fundamental role on the front line of health care, directly facing the challenges experienced in the biggest health crisis experienced in recent times. The high adherence to research, especially in hospital units, reflects the interest and willingness of these professionals to contribute to understanding their realities and needs. There is a need to expand studies with this population in order to identify how these nursing technicians are doing after controlling the disease caused by the SARS-CoV 2 pandemic. From this perspective, the results support the importance of research with these professionals in the sense of appreciation and recognition of the profession.