IMMUNIZATION AGAINST COVID-19 AND WORK LEAVE IN A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: EXPERIENCES AND REFLECTIONS OF WORKPLACE NURSING

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.15935223100710

• Palavras-chave: Vaccination; Nursing work; COVID-19; Monitoring.

• Keywords: Vaccination; Nursing work; COVID-19; Monitoring.

• Abstract:

  In Brazil, the emergency use of two vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 was authorized in January 2021.Nursing at work, it recognizes occupational risks, monitors diseases related to work activities and devises prevention routines, such as immunization. Thus, the objective was to analyze and describe the experience of occupational nursing during the vaccination campaign against COVID-19, and its repercussions on the monitoring of COVID cases among employees of a University Hospital. This is a descriptive study, of the experience report type, of immunization actions against COVID-19 and monitoring of cases among professionals, developed by occupational nursing in the period from 2021 to 2022. In 2021, 1308 employees were immunized against COVID -19. Once the vaccination schedule is completed, it can be seen that despite the delta variant, circulating in 2021, being more contagious, we recorded fewer cases of contaminated employees than in 2020. The average number of days off work was 12 days in 2020 and of 9 days in 2021, observing the positive impact on absenteeism. With the arrival of the omicron variant, in the first quarter of 2022, there were 346 confirmed cases, with an average of 6 days away. Occupational nursing built a database that allowed statistics for decision making and maintenance of all services provided at the hospital. Despite the higher number of cases than in 2020 and 2021, the milder characteristics of the infection in 2022 allowed for a shorter return to work. It can be said that the performance of the work nursing team in the immunization of workers is relevant to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, in the hospital environment or social environment, significantly reducing the rate of absenteeism. It is recommended to carry out studies where other specialties act in the area of worker health promotion.