This work is an exploratory and descriptive qualitative research that had as its main goal to understand how workers of health in oncology develop their professional practice with patients according to their perspectives of pleasure, suffering and defensive strategies. Nine workers of a High Complexity Oncology Center health team participate in this study. A questionnaire for social demographic evaluation and semistructured interviews were applied for data collection. Data was processed using content analysis. Regarding the results, 90% of workers are females, married, around 35 years old, have no children, but hold a college degree and have been working in the field between one and five years. The majority, 77%, of the interviewed workers chose to work in this field. When asked about pleasure, they indicate that it is related to the patients wellbeing, the importance of their job, recognition and organization. Regarding the suffering, the interviewees pointed out the following: fear of becoming ill (related to the diseases issues), becoming contaminated, to make a mistake in their procedure, difficulty of working with children, teenagers and elder patients, not be able of fulfilling the patients expectations such as curing, saving or improving their clinical conditions, intensive working hours, work overload, patients with late diagnosis, no previous or continuous care in the patients cities, as well as economic and operational difficulties to have access to proper treatment in some cases. Among the defensive strategies used by the workers are individual actions and team work. For instance, individual preventive strategies are: time away from the work environment, not become involved affectively with the patients and to have recognition for their work. Team work strategies include: group meetings as well as support from friends and family. In this sense, to understand the health workers experiences, mainly in oncology, is important to make positive interventions while organizing the process and their work. / Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, exploratório-descritiva que teve como objetivo compreender como os trabalhadores de saúde vivenciam sua prática profissional com pacientes oncológicos, na perspectiva do prazer, sofrimento e estratégias defensivas. Participaram do estudo nove trabalhadores da equipe de saúde de um Centro de Alta Complexidade em Oncologia. Para coleta de dados utilizou-se um questionário de dados sociodemográficos e entrevistas semi-estruturadas. Para o tratamento dos dados foi realizada análise de conteúdo. Quanto aos resultados, 90% dos trabalhadores é do sexo feminino; casada; sem filhos; idade média de 35 anos; todos com ensino superior completo; tempo de serviço entre um e cinco anos e 77% escolheu trabalhar no setor. Quanto ao prazer, este se relaciona ao bem estar dos pacientes, à função que exerce; ao reconhecimento do trabalho realizado e relacionado à organização do trabalho. Quanto ao sofrimento, os trabalhadores de saúde apontaram o medo de adoecer (associado ao estigma da doença), de se contaminar ou errar alguma conduta; dificuldade de conviver com crianças, adolescentes e idosos adoecidos; não corresponder à expectativa do paciente em termos de curá-lo, salvá-lo ou promover a melhora do quadro clínico; carga horária massante e número de trabalhadores aquém do necessário; pacientes com diagnósticos tardios e a falta de cuidado dos municípios de origem e as dificuldades econômico-operacionais de alguns pacientes para acesso ao tratamento. Quanto às estratégias defensivas utilizadas pelos trabalhadores, destacam-se aquelas elaboradas individual e coletivamente pelos trabalhadores. Entre elas são identificadas como individuais: o afastamento do cotidiano laboral, o não envolvimento afetivo com os pacientes e a valorização do trabalho que desempenham. Com relação às coletivas, destacam-se: a necessidade de encontros grupais e o convívio com amigos e familiares. Desse modo, compreender as vivências dos trabalhadores da área oncológica é importante para possibilitar intervenções na organização do processo de trabalho.

In Tanzania laboratory services were observed to be not providing the quality of services required. It is assumed that the perceived discrepancy between malaria diagnosis and confirming laboratory result might be attributed to incompetence of health personnel. Objective The objective of this research was to explore the competence and extend to which health personnel in Muhimbli hospital comply with procedural norms in malaria diagnosis. Methodology A quantitative approach of explorative descriptive design was used. A survey was done using observation guidelines based on existing policies and norms. Actual practice of malaria diagnosis compared with the policies and procedural norms. Result The data revealed that health personnel are not competence in malaria diagnosis. Conclusion Competence of health personnel is important in malaria diagnosis, a special guideline should be developed and in-service training be implemented to minimize errors in reporting for malaria investigation. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)

In Tanzania laboratory services were observed to be not providing the quality of services required. It is assumed that the perceived discrepancy between malaria diagnosis and confirming laboratory result might be attributed to incompetence of health personnel. Objective The objective of this research was to explore the competence and extend to which health personnel in Muhimbli hospital comply with procedural norms in malaria diagnosis. Methodology A quantitative approach of explorative descriptive design was used. A survey was done using observation guidelines based on existing policies and norms. Actual practice of malaria diagnosis compared with the policies and procedural norms. Result The data revealed that health personnel are not competence in malaria diagnosis. Conclusion Competence of health personnel is important in malaria diagnosis, a special guideline should be developed and in-service training be implemented to minimize errors in reporting for malaria investigation. / Health Studies / M. A. (Public Health)