Crisis, work and nursing: an ethnographic narrative of the coronavirus pandemic in Primary Care in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: to narrate the experience of facing a long economic and political crisis and the experience of the arrival process of the coronavirus pandemic in a Spanish healthcare center. METHODS: this is a descriptive qualitative study with ethnographic analysis, with data collection through interviews, participant observation and field diary records. RESULTS: the immersion in the context allowed us to identify two axes of domain: "The crisis, work in the community and the territory in Primary Care"; "The inevitability of being a nurse in facing a health crisis". FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the narrative portrays the ethics in field research, tensions and values of nursing work in crisis situations. Nurses' experiences are presented in narratives of dissatisfaction and difficulties, but with the support of values related to guaranteeing assistance to users and cooperation and solidarity in the collective organization of workers to face the COVID-19 crisis.

Infection and mortality of nursing personnel in Brazil from COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Health care personnel (HCP) worldwide are at-risk for contracting the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Among health care personnel, nurses are at a particularly high risk due to the physical proximity and duration of time spent providing direct care. Documenting accurate rates of COVID-19 infection and deaths among nurses worldwide has been problematic, and many countries such as the USA have no systematic mechanism for collecting this information. Brazil is unique in that it prioritized the implementation of a dedicated database, the Nursing Observatory to collect accurate and timely data regarding COVID-19 and Brazilian nursing personnel. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze COVID-19 infections and deaths among nurses registered in the centralized and dedicated Brazilian database called the Nursing Observatory. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study using secondary data from the Brazilian Nursing Observatory was conducted. PARTICIPANTS: Data are reported for two occupational categories: professional Nurse and technical nurse by country regions. All cases or deaths of professional Nurse and technical nurse registered between the 12th and 31st epidemiological weeks of 2020 were included. METHODS: From a unique numerical identification, the appropriate records of nursing personnel affected by COVID-19 were entered by the Technical Responsible Nurse for each service, according to the condition regarding COVID-19. All suspected, confirmed or unconfirmed infections were considered "cases", and all confirmed or unconfirmed deceased as "deaths". Cases and deaths were analyzed according to the variables: 1. region of the country where the case occurred, 2. nursing category and 3. epidemiological week. Universal protocols for collecting and cleaning data were used throughout the country. Infection and mortality rates (per 100,000) were obtained from the relationship between deaths registered and the population of nursing personnel by category and region. RESULTS: Nursing personnel in the Northern, Northeast and Southeast Regions of Brazil had the highest number of COVID-19 infections and deaths overall with an ascending curve occurring mainly after Epidemiological Week 19. COVID-19 infections and deaths spread later to the Midwest and Southern regions also showing an ascending curve, although the total numbers were less. CONCLUSIONS: All occupational categories of nursing personnel showed higher than expected rates of infection and death. Inequalities and a lack of adequate healthcare resources, hospital beds and Personal Protective Equipment varied by region in Brazil. The politicization of COVID-19 and the lack of a coherent national pandemic plan is a factor to be taken into account. Tweetable abstract: This cross-sectional study shows the evolution of cases and deaths of Brazilian nursing personnel over the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social control and nursing performance in defense of life in the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: to reflect on social control in health and the contributions that nursing can make to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: this is a theoretical reflection, elaborated from discussions based on literature and the experience of authors' performance in social control and in Primary Care. It is divided into two topics: the first, related to aspects of institutionalized social control; the second, related to the perspectives for nursing in this space. RESULTS: limits and relevant aspects for nurses' role in social control are presented, contributing to a perspective of praxis in health based on their ethical-political commitment and their technical competence in the coordination and management of care to face the pandemic. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: nurses' role in social control favors the strengthening of the struggle for the right to life above profits, especially through popular participation in the community context in Primary Care.

Pandemics, crisis conjunctures, and professional practices: what is the role of nursing with regard to Covid-19?

ABSTRACT Objective: to discuss the role of Brazilian nursing to face political, economic and sanitary challenges that compose the crisis situation related to Covid-19 pandemics. Methods: Critical-thinking study with analytics characteristics, based on latin-american critical epidemiology and on the concept of social determination of health. Results: the central issues related to the Brazilian political-economic and health scenario are problematized, with emphasis on the impacts in terms of social inequality deepening. Nursing role is discussed considering the impacts in these worker's health, and the relevance of nurses'actions in the several professional practice scenarios to defend social protection. Conclusions: the role of Brazilian nursing as a social practice for the defense of life and universal access to health is reaffirmed as a way of achieving social justice. RESÚMEN Objetivo: discutir el rol de la enfermería para enfrentar los retos políticos, económicos y sanitarios que configuran la situación de crisis en el contexto de la pandémia de Covid-19. Método: Estudio de reflexión crítica con características analíticas, basada en la epidemiología crítica de matriz latinoamericana y en el concepto de determinação social da saúde. Resultados: se problematizan los problemas centrales relacionados con el escenario político-económico y de salud brasileño, con énfasis en los impactos en términos de profundizar la desigualdad social. Discutiese el papel de la enfermería considerando los impactos en la salud de estos trabajadores y la relevancia de su desempeño en diferentes escenarios de práctica profesional y en la defensa de la protección social. Conclusiones: se reafirma el papel de la enfermería brasileña como práctica social para la defensa de la vida y el acceso universal a la salud con miras a lograr la justicia social. RESUMO Objetivo: Discutir o papel da enfermagem diante dos desafios políticos, econômicos e sanitários que configuram conjuntura de crise pela pandemia por Covid-19. Método: Estudo de reflexão crítica de características analíticas, com base na epidemiologia crítica de matriz latino-americana e no conceito de determinação social da saúde. Resultados: As questões centrais relativas ao cenário político-econômico e sanitário brasileiro são problematizadas, com destaque para o aprofundamento da desigualdade social. Debate-se o papel da enfermagem considerando os impactos na saúde destes trabalhadores, e a relevância da sua atuação nos diversos cenários de prática profissional e na defesa da proteção social. Conclusões: Reafirma-se o papel da enfermagem brasileira como prática social de defesa da vida e do acesso universal à saúde com vistas à conquista da justiça social.

Pandemics, crisis conjunctures, and professional practices: what is the role of nursing with regard to Covid-19?

OBJECTIVE: to discuss the role of Brazilian nursing to face political, economic and sanitary challenges that compose the crisis situation related to Covid-19 pandemics. METHODS: Critical-thinking study with analytics characteristics, based on latin-american critical epidemiology and on the concept of social determination of health. RESULTS: the central issues related to the Brazilian political-economic and health scenario are problematized, with emphasis on the impacts in terms of social inequality deepening. Nursing role is discussed considering the impacts in these worker's health, and the relevance of nurses' actions in the several professional practice scenarios to defend social protection. CONCLUSIONS: the role of Brazilian nursing as a social practice for the defense of life and universal access to health is reaffirmed as a way of achieving social justice.

Epidemiologia, políticas públicas e pandemia de Covid-19: o que esperar no Brasil?

Objetivo: discutir as experiências e contradições no controle da pandemia de Covid-19 sob a perspectiva da epidemiologia e das políticas públicas brasileiras. Conteúdo: o debate apresentado divide-se em duas seções: a primeira traça a reflexão dos parâmetros epidemiológicos sobre a curva epidêmica do SARS-CoV-2, bem como as experiências internacionais para o controle deste fenômeno. A segunda, ancorada nas políticas públicas brasileiras, apresenta uma análise comparada das experiências nacionais e internacionais, discutindo os potenciais reflexos sobre a pandemia, considerando algumas especificidades sociais. Conclusão: frente à impossibilidade de redução de pessoas susceptíveis por meio de estratégias vacinais, a redução da velocidade da curva epidêmica precisa ocorrer por meio de ações de isolamento físico social. Ademais, a construção de políticas públicas que visem a proteção ao trabalhador e a ampliação do investimento no setor saúde são medidas urgentes. Objective: to discuss experiences and contradictions in the control of the Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of epidemiology and Brazilian public policies. Content: the discussion presented is divided into two sections: the first one present epidemiological parameters on the epidemic curve of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the international experiences for the control of this phenomenon. The second, anchored in the Brazilian public policies, presents a comparative analysis of national and international experiences, discussing the potential impacts on the pandemic, considering some specific social issues. Conclusion: in the face of impossibility of reducing susceptible people through vaccination strategies, the reduction of the speed of the epidemic curve needs to occur through actions of social distance. In addition, the construction of public policies aimed at protecting workers and expanding investment in the health sector are urgent measures. Objetivo: discutir las experiencias y contradicciones en el control de la pandemia Covid-19 desde la perspectiva de la epidemiología brasileña y las políticas públicas. Contenido: el debate presentado se divide en dos secciones. El primero traza la reflexión de los parámetros epidemiológicos en la curva epidémica del SARS-CoV-2, así como las experiencias internacionales para el control de este fenómeno. El segunda seccione, anclada en las políticas públicas brasileñas, presenta un análisis comparativo de las experiencias nacionales e internacionales, discutiendo los posibles impactos en la pandemia, considerando algunas especificidades sociales brasileñas. Conclusión: dada la imposibilidad de reducir a las personas susceptibles a través de estrategias de vacunación, la reducción de la velocidad de la curva epidémica debe ocurrir a través de acciones de aislamiento social y físico. Además, la construcción de políticas públicas destinadas a proteger a los trabajadores y ampliar la inversión en el sector de la salud son medidas urgentes.