title: [Functional capacity evaluation of nursing professionals].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the functional capacity of nursing staff in a hospital complex and its association with individual and work characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional comprising 885 subjects was carried out. A standardized self-administered questionnaire was used to calculate a work capacity index based on information regarding occupation, morbidity, demographic and socioeconomic data. Odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Chi-square test. A multiple logistic model was used for testing the associations and adjusted odds ratios were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population included primarily women (87.3%), aged between 35 and 68 years (43+/-6.3 on average), who worked as nursing aides, technical-level professionals and nurses in seven hospital units that integrate the hospital complex. Work capacity was considered good in over 80% of the staff. Statistical analyses showed that those with higher schooling (OR=0.4; CI=0.2-1.0; p=0.05 and adjOR= 0.4; CI: 0.2-1.0; p=0.04) and who exercise and have some physical activity (OR=0.5; CI: 0.3-0.9; p=0.02 and adjOR: 0.5; CI: 0.3-0.9, p=0.02) are more likely to have good work capacity. Those with reduced work capacity were found to have a high prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The company's worker health program should include guidance and follow-up of nursing staff regarding their physical and leisure activities aiming at promoting good work capacity as well as implementing preventive measures against musculoskeletal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil. raffone@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Adriana Maisonnave
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Raffone
authors.forename: Elida Azevedo
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hennington
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D016526:Workload