Auriculoterapia como estratégia para redução do estresse ocupacional em trabalhadores de um Centro de Material e Esterilização

Abstract

The Materials and Sterilization Center (CME) is an essential unit for supporting care activities and provides fundamental and almost invisible support for the maintenance of care services. CME professionals work at a fast pace, with physical and mental demands, and are exposed to chemical, physical and biological risks. The combination of these factors can generate stress, anxiety and fear, compromising the health of workers and the quality of the service provided. Mitigating the effects of stress in this environment requires the adoption of institutional strategies that promote healthier work environments. Integrative and complementary practices, such as auriculotherapy, have shown promise in the health care of workers, contributing to the prevention and coping of injuries related to occupational stress. In this context, this study aimed to measure the stress level of nursing workers in a CME before and after intervention with Auriculotherapy. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, of a qualitative and quantitative nature, carried out at the CME of a University Hospital in Uberlândia (MG), linked to the Brazilian Company of Hospital Services (EBSERH). Self-administered questionnaires, focus groups and in-depth interviews were used as data collection instruments. The study showed a high prevalence of stress, with the main triggering factors being pressure and work overload, conflicting hierarchical relationships and challenges in communication and interpersonal relationships. Thus, the relevance of implementing programs to promote health and well-being in the workplace was highlighted, including auriculotherapy as a complementary strategy for stress reduction. Despite bringing relevant contributions, the research had some limitations. The intervention with auriculotherapy involved only one worker, which restricts the generalization of the results. This aspect highlights the need for future studies with larger samples, which allow a more comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of auriculotherapy in reducing occupational stress.