There is a relationship between shift work and the beginning of organized life. Health services require shift work to keep activities running twenty-four hours a day. This study thus aimed to identify nursing staff shift work systems in a university hospital, evaluate health workers' perceptions of the possible effects of shift work on their health and social life, and assess workers' participation in preparing nursing schedules. In terms of materials and methods, this was an exploratory and descriptive study with a sample of 348 nursing staff members, using an appropriate questionnaire. Most were married women under 40 with at least one child, working on rotating shifts with more than fifteen-days frequency of rotation, and with neurological, psychological, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular health complaints. They also reported relational problems on the job. Most of the nursing staff played a minor role in preparing nursing schedules.

QUADRO 12 -Distribuição da freqüência de internações, número total de dias de permanência, tempo médio de permanência, número de óbitos e taxa de mortalidade, nos períodos antes e depois da implantação da gestão semi plena nos 11 municípios em estudo, segundo o procedimento sentinela partos por cesária ..