Espiritualidade e resiliência em profissionais de saúde da unidade de terapia intensiva

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Occupational Health (OH) in Brazil, governed by Law No. 8,080/1990 and the National Policy on Occupational Health (PNSTT), faces contemporary challenges where the drive for productivity often neglects psychosocial risks. Within the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) environment, exposure to ethical distress and finitude demands robust coping mechanisms. Spirituality and resilience emerge as subjective dimensions that enhance mental health and the humanization of care. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the relationship between spirituality and sociodemographic and professional factors among ICU workers, and to understand these professionals' perceptions of spirituality and resilience in their daily work routine. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional, exploratory, and descriptive study uses a mixed approach. It comprises two papers: a quantitative study (n=221) that assessed ICU multidisciplinary team members using the Spiritual Attitudes Scale (ARES), analyzed statistically through the Kruskal-Wallis Test and Spearman's Correlation; and a qualitative study (n=7) involving a Focus Group (FG) with nursing technicians. The qualitative phase applied the ARES, the 14-Item Resilience Scale (RS-14), and a sociodemographic profile form, with data evaluated via content analysis. RESULTS: In the quantitative dimension, spirituality was significantly higher among women, professionals with a religious affiliation, and nursing assistants/technicians compared to physicians. In the qualitative dimension, nursing technicians presented very high levels of resilience and high spirituality according to the scale's characterization; content analysis revealed that spirituality is the 'pillar of resilience,' functioning as a survival and empathy strategy. Reports of silencing and prejudice emerged within the technical environment, alongside difficulties in separating personal and professional life. CONCLUSION: Spirituality and resilience emerge as fundamental resources for preserving the mental health of intensivist professionals, especially those providing direct bedside care.