Nurses perception regarding urgency/emergency in mental health

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the perception of nurses at the emergency care unit about urgency/emergency in mental health in the city of Itajaí. Method: Qualitative approach, data collection in June 2019 through individual semi-structured interviews and thematic content analysis. Including, working nurses who met mental health demands at the UPA and filled out the TCLE, those who did not accept or had not performed care, were excluded. The analysis categories composed of three constructs; characterization of study participants; nurses' knowledge in urgent/emergency mental health care at the UPA. Results: They indicated that the meaning of work for each professional has polysemic and often confrontational characteristics. The identified constructs were correlated with the professional's knowledge and work routine. Conclusion: This research contributes to the discussions regarding the sensitization of nurses regarding the meanings of work and the essence of care for mental health patients.