A enfermagem do trabalho em Portugal: experiência, motivações, locais de trabalho, formação, funções, indicadores produzidos e condições de trabalho

Introduction In Europe, nurses are the largest professional group in the health area that provides care to the active population in a work context. In Portugal, the contribution of these nurses is not yet adequately explained, and there are doubts about their professional experience, academic training and the type of roles they occupy in the context of Occupational Health. Objective It is intended to know how Occupational Health Nursing Work in Portugal, to infer measures that promote change in order to better utilize the potential of these professionals. Methods It is a descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out after the application of an online survey that had the institutional collaboration of the Order of Nurses, which provided the questionnaire access through its website. Data collection took place between April 2016 and April 2017. Results The study included 87 nurses who, on average, finished the nursing course 11.86± 8.79 years, although they work in Occupational Health about 7.60± 6.54 years. The main motivations for exercising are the possibility of obtaining a salary supplement (the most experienced) or a paid job (the youngest), being in the minority those who intend to dedicate themselves exclusively to the Occupational Health. The exercise in companies that provide external occupational health services (the least experienced) is focused almost exclusively on the provision of tasks of an instrumental nature, with little autonomy and weak working conditions (structural, human resources or remuneration). The provision of internal services in companies is seen as compensatory, since it focuses on the prevention and promotion of health, allowing a close monitoring of employees, with great autonomy. However, it is necessary to demonstrate greater pro-activity in relation to the company’s objectives and to develop areas such as the design of individualized care, research, rehabilitation and health planning. Regarding training, most asked for authorization to pursue, however, only a minority has already acquired the training necessary for final certification. Conclusion Given the salutogenic potential of Occupational Health Nursing and the repercussions that its performance may have, it is projected that, in the future, there should be a greater investment in training, directing the focus of Occupational Health Nurses to the management, prevention and Promotion of health, betting on an increase of competences associated with research and health planning that, demonstrably, generate objectively measurable gains