Depressão entre técnicos e auxiliares de enfermagem em uma unidade hospitalar pública

The work of nursing technicians and assistants in hospital units can result in profound impacts on the mental health of these workers, as it involves an exhausting and tiring routine, in addition to an unstable, hectic environment and with intensive tasks. Frequent exposure to these stressors compromises health interferes with productivity levels and can compromise patient safety. Therefore, this study aimed to identify depressive symptoms among nursing technicians and assistants in a public hospital. This is a descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative approach, carried out in a public reference hospital in a city in the interior of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The sample was selected for convenience, including technicians and nursing assistants who have worked for at least one year in the unit where the study was carried out, and those who were on vacation, sick leave, or maternity leave were excluded. The data collection instrument consisted of a questionnaire of sociodemographic and occupational characterization of the subjects, followed by the Beck Depression Inventory. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics using the SPSS software, version 20.0. 99 professionals participated in this study, 57.6% of nursing assistants, and 42.4% nursing technicians. The majority were female (85.9%), with an average age of 51 years (SD = 8.5 years), married (44.4%), with an average length of experience in nursing of 23.7 years (SD = 7.8 years), working 24 hours a week (80.9%) and working in critical areas (59.8%). Mild and moderate depressive symptoms were identified in 43.5% of the technicians and 38.5% of the assistants. It is concluded that these professionals are frequently exposed to stressors considered to be risk factors for mental illnesses and that the implementation of screening actions is essential for the promotion of workers' health, for safety, and the quality of care provided to patients.