OCCUPATIONAL RISK' PERCEPTIONS THE NURSES HAVE AT INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to determine nurses zs perception about their working environment in an intensive care unit in a hospital, through the application of a questionnaire containing closed and open ended questions. It was intended to determine the work environment risks and the preventive actions used to elimínate such risks.
As the results were known, we learned that the most of the nurses consider their labor environment as confortable and cozy one; nevertheless, potential environment risks are perceived, principally the exposure to Chemical, physical, biologic and mechanical risks, associated to the lack of material and human resources as well as the lack of awareness among the nurses as far as the use of individual protection elements is concerned.