BETTY NEUMAN’S SYSTEMS MODEL IN UNDERSTANDING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND MENTAL HEALTH OF URGENCY NURSING TECHNICIANS IN THE SUS

Abstract

Nursing technicians working in urgency and emergency services of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) experience intense and recurrent stressors, with potential impacts on their quality of life and mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life and mental health indicators of these professionals in urgency settings in the interior of the state of São Paulo. This is a quantitative, descriptive, exploratory, and cross-sectional study conducted with 146 nursing technicians linked to urgency services in two municipalities. Data collection was performed through electronic forms and included sociodemographic and professional characterization, in addition to the application of the WHOQOL-BREF and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The results showed a heterogeneous global perception of quality of life across domains, with greater uniformity in the environment domain, and relevant indicators of psychological distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in part of the sample. A consistent association was observed between poorer quality of life and greater psychological distress, with a strong negative correlation between psychological distress and general quality of life, as well as a moderate correlation between depressive symptoms and the social relationships domain. Comparisons by income, sex, and workload did not show statistically significant differences in the evaluated outcomes, suggesting that the context and complexity of occupational stressors may play a central role in the experience of illness and well-being. It is concluded that psychological distress significantly compromises the quality of life of nursing technicians in SUS urgency services, reinforcing the need for institutional strategies for prevention, surveillance, and psychosocial support at work.