[The profile and professional practice of nurses in a psychosocial care services].
This qualitative study was performed with fourteen nurses of eleven psychosocial care services. The objectives of the study were the following: to characterize the professional profile of the nurses who work in community psychiatric services and to verify those nurses' practice according to the current model of mental health care.


RESULTS
there was a prevalence of females; most had over 10 years since their graduation; their entrance in the mental health area is late and is associated with the lack of job opportunities and the fact that the service is close to their home. One part of the nurses found it difficult to define their work at an extra-hospital environment. On the other hand, another group of nurses believes that the nursing work in mental health services is flexible and it is shared with other workers of the multidisciplinary team. Low salaries, poor infrastructure and the lack of team member acknowledgement generate dissatisfaction at work. The Brazilian Psychiatric Reform is associated with dehospitalization.
Dias
Cristiane Bergues
CB
Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. crisbe@usp.br
Aranha e Silva
Ana Luisa
AL
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D008875:Middle Aged; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing