Nurses' Mental Health in Primary Care: A Look at the Family Health Strategy

Abstract

The Family Health Strategy is essential in Primary Health Care, but nurses face multiple challenges that impact their mental health. Understanding these challenges and the resulting health problems in these professionals is crucial. This systematic review, guided by the PRISMA protocol, analyzed 12 articles published in the last 20 years. Factors such as workload overload, lack of resources, authoritarian management, ethical conflicts, and adverse conditions increase the risk of mental illness, manifested by emotional exhaustion and use of psychoactive substances. The intense routine and pressure to deal with complex demands, combined with scarce institutional support, impair care quality and professional satisfaction. On the other hand, strategies such as systematizing nursing consultations, strengthening bonds with users, continuous training, and team dialogue contribute to promoting psychological well-being. The mental health of these professionals is a collective and institutional issue requiring public policies and structural and cultural improvements in the work environment. Valuing and caring for nurses’ mental health is fundamental to ensuring comprehensive and humanized care for the population and the sustainability of the Unified Health System. This study highlights the importance of understanding workers’ illness through a critical analysis that articulates objective and subjective factors, aiming to build ethical care practices and value professionals in Primary Health Care.

Keywords: Mental health; Nurse; Family Health Strategy; Anxiety.