A Work Ability Assessment in Nursing Workers

Abstract

Objective: To identify the nursing staff of a university hospital's work ability index and point out which factors interfere in the quality of the work of these workers. Method: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical survey, quantitative, composed of 54 nursing professionals from the medical clinic ward sector of a large hospital in Uberlândia (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Data collection is performed using two tools: sociodemographic questionnaire and Work Ability Index (WAI). The G-Test by Williams was applied to assess the significant association between sociodemographic and occupational variables and those related to the work ability index. It was used the BioEstat® version 5.3 program to perform all analyzes with a significance level of 0.05 (5%). Results: The research showed that nursing professionals had a predominance of good workability (40,7%), the prevalence of young adults, the highest percentage between 31-40 years, 81,5% are women, 50% are in a marital relationship, 63% are open to public tender, and they had no back injuries. It was also found that the only professionals who had a low work capacity were nursing technicians, corresponding to 5,6% of the total percentage. Conclusion: It is known that a hospital environment is a place that favors the illness process of nursing workers. The worker who owns and maintains adequate physical and mental health can perform his duties better and have a better capacity for work, therefore taking better care of the patient.