Self-care practices in the work process of home care nursing professionals

Abstract

Introduction: Experiences with Integrative and Complementary Practices allow nursing professionals to reflect on self-care and prompt questions regarding self-attention practices that could positively influence their work process and, consequently, their quality of life. Objective: To describe self-care practices within the work process of a home care nursing team. Methodology: Interventions involving Integrative and Complementary Practices were conducted with nursing professionals over six consecutive weeks; qualitative data were collected via recorded interviews following each intervention and a focus group session at the end of all interventions. The study setting was a Home Care and Palliative Care Unit at a university hospital in southern Brazil. Data were collected in November and December 2023, following approval by the Research Ethics Committee (opinion number 6.416.017). Subsequently, the qualitative information was transcribed in full for later data management and analysis, in accordance with Bardin’s methodology. The study adopted the perspective of anthropologist Eduardo Luiz Menéndez as its theoretical framework. Results: lived experiences with integrative and complementary practices enabled the professionals to reflect on self-care, and their narratives reveal the importance of these practices for health balance and the management of occupational stress. The professionals reported challenges in engaging in self-care practices, taking into account aspects inherent in nursing care, their work processes, working hours, and the double burden of work and domestic responsibilities, among other factors. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that integrative and complementary practices supported the work process, encouraging professionals to seek out beneficial actions or activities, particularly regarding self-care, with a focus on quality of life and workplace well-being.