Objetivo: to identify and compare burnout levels between Portuguese, Spanish and Brazilian nurses. Method: quantitative, descriptive, correlational, comparative and cross-sectional study conducted using a sample of 1,052 nurses working in hospitals and primary care centers. A sociodemographic questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory were applied to nurses in Porto, Portugal (n=306), Oviedo, Spain (n=269) and S. Paulo, Brazil (n=477). Data analysis was performed using descriptive, inferential and multivariate analysis. Results: approximately 42% of the nurses showed moderate/high levels of burnout, with no differences found between countries (Portugal and Brazil 42%, Spain 43%). Only depersonalization showed differences between countries, presenting Spain the highest level and Portugal the lowest one. Comparative analysis showed higher burnout levels in young nurses and those working by shifts. Considering job schedules, burnout was associated to shift work in Portugal, while in Spain and Brazil it was associated with fixed schedules. Conclusion: these results suggest that this syndrome among nurses is a global phenomenon. The daily stressors and higher demands of the nursing profession are crucial in the preparation of nurses to deal with complex situations, to avoid burnout, and to reduce the negative impact on nurses’ health and on the quality of care they provide.

The demographic structure of Portugal is undergoing a rapid change and, as a direct result, the aging index rose from 102 to 128 in the 10 years between 2001 and 2011 (INE, 2012). One of the essential goals of nursing care is to promote the independence and autonomy of patients, making a direct, positive impact on the quality of life of older people. Therefore, the attitudes of nurses about aging and older people are of utmost importance, particularly as they are reflected in the way nurses perceive and interact with their patients and in how they provide nursing care. So it is crucial to develop positive attitudes towards aging and the elderly in nurses and nursing students. The study aims to describe Portuguese nursing students’ attitudes toward aging. We undertook a descriptive study of 140 students in a public, Portuguese nursing school during the 2011/2012 academic year. A questionnaire was used to gather data, including students’ demographic variables, opinions as assessed in the Inventory of Attitudes toward Aging, and the contact participants with elderly persons. The mean score on the Inventory of Attitudes toward Aging was = 2.05 (SD = 0.32), suggesting negative attitudes toward aging, particularly as identified by scores in factor 1 and factor 3. Difference across gender was not significant for factors 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively (p= 0.423), (p= 0.668), (p= 0.377), (p= 0.067).No differences were found across mean attitude scores and gender or across attitudes and living with older people. No correlation was found between nursing students’ attitudes and age groups, in the majority of the studied factors. Additional research into attitudes toward aging is needed among Portuguese nursing students in their final year of study as well as in hospitals. Future research should be extended to students from other higher education schools of nursing

INTRODUÇÃO: As novas exigências profissionais e laborais na Enfermagem constituem fatores de risco para a saúde mental dos enfermeiros, cujas consequências individuais podem ser o burnout e a desmotivação no trabalho, bem como, a nível organizacional, a qualidade dos cuidados prestados. OBJETIVO: Conhecer os níveis de burnout e de engagement numa amostra de enfermeiros, a sua inter-relação e variação em função de características sociodemográficas/laborais. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, descritivo e correlacional, desenvolvido no âmbito do projeto INT-SO “Dos contextos de trabalho à saúde ocupacional dos profissionais de enfermagem”. Foram aplicadas versões portuguesas do Maslach Burnout Inventory e da Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, e um questionário de caracterização sociodemográfica/laboral a 346 enfermeiros do distrito do Porto, com participação anónima e voluntária. RESULTADOS: Encontraram-se níveis elevados de engagement, moderados de exaustão emocional e baixos de despersonalização, existindo 54% de enfermeiros com nível baixo de burnout, 36% com moderado e 9% com elevado. O burnout diminui com a idade e anos de serviço, surge associado a turnos rotativos, a trabalhar em hospitais, tem correlação negativa com o engagement e prediz mais fortemente o engagement (entre 19,6 e 39,6%) do que o inverso (entre 7,5 e 37,9%). CONCLUSÕES: A existência de 9% de enfermeiros em burnout confirma este grupo como em risco do adoecer psicológico. Os resultados apontam para a importância da saúde mental dos enfermeiros no contexto de trabalho, reforçando a prevenção do burnout e valorizando a saúde mental positiva expressa nas dimensões do engagement dedicação e vigor dos enfermeiros.

Os enfermeiros exercem a sua atividade num ambiente de trabalho fértil em fatores que favorecem o aumento dos níveis de stresse no trabalho. Estes afetam o trabalhador e as organizações, podendo a resiliência ser um fator protetor. OBJETIVO: Conhecer os níveis de Resiliência e Burnout de enfermeiros, sua variação em função de caracteristicas sociodemográficas e profissionais e a relação entre ambos, no sentido de verificar se a Resiliência pode ajudar na promoção da saúde mental e ocupacional dos enfermeiros.

Psychoeducational programs (PEP) are recommended to provide support to informal caregivers. Evidences show low levels of participation in such programs. Removing barriers is necessary to promote effective programs. The research questions were as follows: what are the barriers to the participation of caregivers of dependent older adults in a PEP? What are the factors that motivate caregivers to participate in a PEP? The main purpose of this study was to analyze the barriers to the participation of informal caregivers of dependent older adults in a PEP and to identify the factors that promote the participation of informal caregivers of dependent older adults in a PEP. A qualitative approach was used for this study, conducted with twenty-four informal caregivers of dependent older adults registered at a Family Health Unit in Trofa County, Portugal. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. For the analysis of empirical material, the content analysis technique proposed by Bardin was used. The “situational” barriers to the participation were most prevalent (need to escort the care recipient to medical visits, cost of transportation, lack of time due to caregiving tasks, or professional activity). The factors that favored participation mostly corresponded to the “psychosocial” (interest in acquiring additional knowledge and skills) and “institutional” categories (interest in the program content). The results demonstrate that inclusion of the participants in the design, implementation, and assessment of the program, as was the case, did not suffice to facilitate the program participation - the multiple barriers to their participation should also have been taken into account. Only by recognizing such barriers will the program become more effective and efficient for the caregivers

Objectives: to construct and validate an instrument to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to pressure injury prevention among caregivers of institutionalized older people. Methods: this is a three-stage methodological study that consisted of instrument construction, analysis by experts, and semantic and appearance analysis, with 78 participants, observing the validation process steps for psychometric instruments in the criteria of clarity and relevance. Results: in the Delphi I round, the validity index of the general content in the clarity criterion was 0.66, in relevance 0.85, and the Kappa value was >0.76. In Delphi II, clarity was 0.95, relevance 1.00, and the Kappa value was >0.97. Conclusions: this is a valid instrument in terms of content and appearance, which allows further analysis of its reliability for the measurement of the constructs for which it is intended. Therefore, it can be considered a tool for care management in pressure injury prevention.