The meaning of work for hospital unit nurses: a scoping review.

Abstract

Over the years, work has become a meaningful activity in the lives of professionals, contributing to social inclusion and personal fulfillment and influencing quality of life. This is particularly true for nurses, for whom work has significant meaning. This study aims to explore how nurses' recognition of the meaning of their work is critical to their job performance. This scoping review was conducted using the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, and American Psychological Association databases. The review included studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish published between 2016 and 2022. The final sample included 10 studies that reported characteristics related to the meaning of work: 56% were qualitative descriptive studies, 22% were cross-sectional, and 22% did not report their design. Most studies were conducted in Brazil (n = 6), followed by China, Japan, and Namibia. Articles were classified and analyzed according to the following categories: sample, description of values or attributes of the meaning of work, and hospital context. The study concludes that nurses perceive meaning in their work through affirmation; exchange of esteem; sharing of information; trust; autonomy; interpersonal relationships; communication; interpersonal relationships with patients; reciprocity; involvement; job satisfaction; opportunities for learning and development; recognition and moral integrity; affective commitment; and stress related to work hours.