Assessment of the work conditions in hospitals of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil

Abstract

This study identified how health professionals assess work conditions in different hospitals and verified how these conditions affect labor satisfaction. The sample was composed of 213 professionals from several healthcare fields. The analysis of the results indicated a distinct profile among the hospitals when it comes to work conditions. In a general perspective, the study observed low labor quality averages in State-run hospitals, while the highest ones were observed in the philanthropic hospital. This result corroborates the current condition of Brazilian public health. It also significantly associates labor satisfaction with the variables of family income and workplace. Therefore, conflicts in this scenario are considered as inevitable due to the precarious structure of some public health institutions; however, these problems can be foreseen and solved if hospitals create a free, accessible expression channel to all agents.

Working conditions; Job satisfaction; Personnel, hospital; Occupational health