Projeto de promoção de saúde mental numa escola de saúde

Abstract

Introduction: Burnout has been defined as a physical, emotional and mental state of exhaustion that results from work situations that are emotionally demanding (Leka, Jain & World Health Organization [WHO], 2010). It is a priority for occupational health (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work [EU-OSHA], 2014). Portugal occupies first place on the podium in the list of European Union countries with the highest risk of burnout (Small Business Prices, 2021). Objectives: describe the implementation of preventive measures within the scope of mental health in a health school. Methods: Participatory Action Research study, supported by literature review for the design of the mental health promotion project. Results: Interventions combine individual and organizational approaches. Sessions are held once a week, lasting 2 hours (1 hour with a planned formal structure and another with a more informal nature that uses a game that promotes tasks and challenges). They are carried out during working hours, in a total of 18 sessions, distributed over 3 phases (training, self-knowledge, development of coping strategies). Conclusions: Health schools aim to create favourable conditions for their professionals, constituting themselves as educational models of best practices in the health field. Thus, we believe that this mental health promotion project, developed in a health school, is extremely relevant to affirm its congruence as an example of excellence in health training.