OBJECTIVE: to know the meanings fo the work in an emergency unit for nursing professionals. METHOD: qualitative research with phenomenological approach. Data collection was obtained by means of 14 interviews with nursing professionals. RESULTS: coexisting feelings of nursing professionals are fatigue, exhaustion, anguish and revolt for the work overload and resources limitations face the situations that involve death risk. CONCLUSION: although stress faced by nursing professionals during the daily work, they keep the commitment in assisting with quality and humanization, existing a trend for emotional exhaustion, loss of heart and feelings of anguish, what reaffirms the importance of heath prevention in work environment.
Nursing; Stress, psychological; Occupational health