The aim of this study was to analyze the nurses' psychological variables taken from Engelmann's List of Emotional States and based on the questionnaire answered by the subjects at the beginning and end of each shift in different units of Hospital das Clínicas, UNICAMP on the six-hour and twelve-hour schedules in activities developed at the surgical center (SC), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Coronary Unit (CU) and Emergency Room (ER) with the average age of 33.88 years old. The results allowed us to certify the nurses' emotional parameters have alterations during the shift, which can be related to the burnout and stress of the care delivery activity, even more in units where it demands immediate answer skill and need on emergency. Tiredness was a strong variable at the end of the shifts in all units. The results obtained at the beginning and end of the shifts were statistically compared using the Kruskal - Wallis method and the group profiles demonstrated a variety of feelings and intensities that were statistically significant (p=£ 0.05).
Emotional states; Nurses; Shift work; Intensive care units