Neoliberalism and precarious work in nursing in the COVID-19 pandemic: repercussions on mental health

Abstract

Objective: to understand how the contradictions and tensions of neoliberal policy, materialized in precarious work, affect nursing workers’ mental health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: this is a study with a qualitative and descriptive approach, analyzed in the light of neoliberal economic policy. Data were collected through virtual means, with the participation of 719 nursing workers, from April to June 2020. To organize the data, the IRaMuTeQ® software and thematic analysis were used. Results: the reports revealed the lack of value of workers and the loss of social labor rights; the progressive nature of the neoliberal policy, its threats and repercussions on workers’ mental health; and recognition by female workers that political and class participation does not occur in isolation, but collectively. Conclusion: under the aegis of neoliberal policy, the COVID-19 pandemic brought an upsurge precarious work, influencing nursing workers’ subjectivity and mental health.

Data-Driven Evaluation and Optimisation of Livelihood Improvement Efficiency

“…As explained earlier, in the current economic and social context, people's subjective perceptions of government performance should not be ignored. Therefore, an advantage of this study is that, compared with previous studies [22][23][24][25][26][27][28], our evaluation index system can better reflect people's actual feelings towards the government's work on improving people's livelihood, and the subsequent evaluation results can also lay the foundation for the improvement of people's sense of well-being and stable social development. In terms of evaluation methods, this study adopted a PCA-DEA-Tobit method.…”

“…This may further create or exacerbate the problems of employment equity and employment discrimination [21]. Owing to the severe global shortage of health resources, it is difficult to secure people's health, and this is especially evident in developing countries [22][23][24][25]. These factors also contribute to greater anxiety, which has led to mental health issues in residents of countries such as Israel and China [26,27] and has resulted in the intensification of social conflicts in some European countries [25,28].…”

“…Owing to the severe global shortage of health resources, it is difficult to secure people's health, and this is especially evident in developing countries [22][23][24][25]. These factors also contribute to greater anxiety, which has led to mental health issues in residents of countries such as Israel and China [26,27] and has resulted in the intensification of social conflicts in some European countries [25,28]. Policy analysts at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have pointed out that the challenges of social crises can be addressed by improving the efficiency of public sector governance [29].…”

COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Nursing Professionals in Brazil: Associations between Social and Clinical Contexts and Psychopathological Symptoms

“…When facing a pandemic crisis, it is common for health professionals to focus their priorities on biological risk, pathophysiology and epidemiology to contain the disease, with the inevitable psychological repercussions being generally underestimated [ 1 ]. This dynamic is repeated especially in nursing, as it is a category of workers who spend most of their time alongside patients [ 46 ]. A scoping review emphasizes the need for health institutions to adopt protective, safety and support actions and psychosocial support in a short period of time [ 47 ].…”

Ambientes De Trabalho De Enfermagem Durante a Covid-19: Contribuições Para Desenvolver Uma Ferramenta Tecnológica

“…O envolvimento na tomada de decisão, a comunicação clara, as oportunidades de crescimento pessoal e profissional, o trabalho em equipa, a colaboração interprofissional, assim como a autenticidade e eficácia do líder foram algumas das qualidades encontradas na literatura em relação aos ambientes de trabalho (4) . Por outro lado, baixa remuneração, falta de apoio, falta de enfermeiros, aumento da carga de trabalho e respostas ineficazes por parte dos enfermeiros gestores já haviam sido apontados como os principais fatores negativos (4,6) , sendo a precariedade do trabalho ainda melhor evidenciada na pandemia da COVID-19, influenciando na saúde mental dos trabalhadores de enfermagem (7) . Assim, a existência de ambientes de trabalho favoráveis torna-se ainda mais emergente em contexto de pandemia, uma vez que além de responsáveis pela maioria dos cuidados prestados aos pacientes (8) , os enfermeiros têm também um papel fundamental na reestruturação dos serviços, na construção de protocolos, assim como no desenvolvimento de estratégias que garantam a segurança do paciente (9) .…”