OBJECTIVE: To reveal the meaning of work operational loads on the operational cleaning Emergency Unit / Emergency and identify the strategies that they use as the protection these loads. METHOD: Descriptive, exploratory and qualitative, with 12 operational cleaning. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews and statements submitted to content analysis in its phases: reading, register units and meanings, coding and classification; results treatment and interpreting. RESULTS: Three categories emerged: Work load related to internal materiality, work load related to external materiality, and coping strategies used to mitigate or prevent workloads. CONCLUSION: Professionals knew workloads partially and used self coping strategies.
Occupational health nursing; Nursing; Nursing service, hospital; Housekeeping, hospital; Workload