Path of fear: Experiences of health professionals in the fight against COVID-19.

This study aimed to understand the expressions of fear in the journeys of health professionals who worked in the confrontation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in the city of Manaus, in the Brazilian Western Amazon. This is an exploratory qualitative study that adopts interpretive description as a method to generate informed knowledge responsive to the needs of the practice. We included 56 participants, comprising 23 health managers and 33 health workers (middle and higher level) of different professional categories. The results revealed three circles of experience: (1) knowledge and professional experience in dealing with the disease (unknown-known-experienced); (2) the growing proximity to death and loss (predicted-witnessed-suffered); and (3) the involvement and proximity to whatever affects the individual, their emotions, and personal transformations in the face of the threat (the collective, the neighbor, and oneself). Our results suggest that health professionals who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus experienced insecurity, dread, and fear, illustrating the complexity of developing their activities in the front line of care and management during the different phases of the pandemic. A contribution of the study is precisely that of capturing this complexity, which suggests the impossibility of analyzing fear only in its simple manifestation, or in each circle of experience.

The organization of healthcare work in the light of ergology: experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the work organization of health professionals when coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus. METHOD: This is a qualitative case study which adopted ergology as theoretical framework. Data production used document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 33 health workers from the Health Care Network. The resources of the software Atlas.ti 8.0 were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The precepts of Thematic Networks analysis revealed the following categories: "Reordering services and functions"; "Incorporation and management of instruments application"; "Professional experiences and tactics: changing roles, attitudes and relationships". CONCLUSION: It was found that they express a dynamic view of the organizational process, in which the worker, when discussing past standards and comparing his/her knowledge, experiences and values, modifies the environment, flows and conducts as needed, facing the lack of safety, conditions and solidity of the technical bases of work.

The organization of healthcare work in the light of ergology: experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic / La organización del trabajo en salud a la luz de la ergología: experiencias en la pandemia de COVID-19 / A organização do trabalho em saúde à luz da ergologia: experiências na pandemia da COVID-19

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the work organization of health professionals when coping with the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus. Method: This is a qualitative case study which adopted ergology as theoretical framework. Data production used document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 33 health workers from the Health Care Network. The resources of the software Atlas.ti 8.0 were used for data analysis. Results: The precepts of Thematic Networks analysis revealed the following categories: "Reordering services and functions"; "Incorporation and management of instruments application"; "Professional experiences and tactics: changing roles, attitudes and relationships". Conclusion: It was found that they express a dynamic view of the organizational process, in which the worker, when discussing past standards and comparing his/her knowledge, experiences and values, modifies the environment, flows and conducts as needed, facing the lack of safety, conditions and solidity of the technical bases of work.

RESUMEN Objetivo: El estudio buscó comprender la organización del trabajo de profesionales de salud en el enfrentamiento de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la ciudad de Manaus, Brasil. Método: Se trata de una investigación cualitativa, del tipo estudio de caso, que adoptó el referencial teórico la ergología. La producción de los datos empleó análisis documental y entrevista semiestructurada con 33 trabajadores de salud de la Red de Atención a la Salud. Fueron utilizados los recursos del software Atlas.ti 8.0 para analizar los datos. Resultados: Los preceptos del análisis de Redes Temáticas revelaron las siguientes categorías: "Reordenamiento de servicios y funciones"; "Incorporación y gestión de la aplicación de instrumentos"; "Experiencias y tácticas profesionales: cambios de roles, actitudes y relaciones". Conclusión: Se constató que ellos expresan una visión dinámica del proceso organizacional, en la que el trabajador, al debatir normas del pasado y comparar sus conocimientos, experiencias y valores, cambia el ambiente, los flujos y las conductas de acuerdo a la necesidad, enfrentando la falta de seguridad, de condiciones y de solidez de las bases técnicas del trabajo.

RESUMO Objetivo: O estudo buscou compreender a organização do trabalho de profissionais de saúde no enfrentamento da pandemia de COVID-19 em Manaus. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso, que adotou como referencial teórico a ergologia. A produção dos dados empregou análise documental e entrevista semiestruturada com 33 trabalhadores da saúde da Rede de Atenção à Saúde. Utilizaram-se os recursos do software Atlas.ti 8.0 para análise de dados. Resultados: Os preceitos da análise de Redes Temáticas revelaram as seguintes categorias: "Reordenamento de serviços e funções"; "Incorporação e gestão da aplicação de instrumentos"; "Experiências e táticas profissionais: mudanças de papeis, atitudes e relações". Conclusão: Constatou-se que eles expressam uma visão dinâmica do processo organizacional, em que o trabalhador, ao discutir normas do passado e comparar seus conhecimentos, experiências e valores, modifica o ambiente, os fluxos e as condutas conforme a necessidade, enfrentando a falta de segurança, de condições e de solidez das bases técnicas do trabalho.

Health work in the context of a pandemic: For a research agenda.

INTRODUCTION: The emergence of a pandemic highlights the translational demands regarding science. This communication aims to propose theoretical-methodological elements for research on health work in pandemic context. METHODS: This reflective essay sets an framework for a research project on health work in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. RESULTS: Three axes or subsidies are presented: the construction of work environments as an analytical component, the approach of ergology as a potential and the centrality of the experiences of the worker-subject. CONCLUSIONS: New health care challenges require attention to what workers have to say about their forms of confrontation and translation of knowledge.

Health work in the context of a pandemic: For a research agenda

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The emergence of a pandemic highlights the translational demands regarding science. This communication aims to propose theoretical-methodological elements for research on health work in pandemic context. METHODS: This reflective essay sets an framework for a research project on health work in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. RESULTS: Three axes or subsidies are presented: the construction of work environments as an analytical component, the approach of ergology as a potential and the centrality of the experiences of the worker-subject. CONCLUSIONS: New health care challenges require attention to what workers have to say about their forms of confrontation and translation of knowledge.