Nurses work within the interface of the population's process of falling ill and of occupational diseases. In this setting, chronic diseases are evidenced, and they affect the work process. The purpose of this study was to identify, in nurses, the measures used to prevent health problems in the presence of a chronic disease, analyze the relation between their knowledge and attitudes toward chronic diseases, and the relation of risk factors with their work process. This is a quantitative and descriptive study, involving 23 nurses with chronic diseases, representing 76.6% of the 30 nurses diagnosed with a chronic illness at a Federal Hospital, 22 of whom are women. It was observed that the nurses comply with the treatment proposed for their disease and have effective strategies to cope with the fact of falling ill, changing their lifestyles. Furthermore, they reported there were factors in their work environment that contribute to worsen their illness.
Chronic disease; Nursing; Working process; Stress
