(Dis) connections between management and care in a surgical intensive care unit

Objective: The objective was to understand the perception of the nursing team on the (dis)connections between management actions and care performed by nurses in a surgical intensive care unit. Method: Exploratory research with qualitative approach carried out in a surgical intensive care unit of a hospital in the public net of Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. Data was collected between March and July 2011, through semi-structured interviews and systematic observations, with 20 nursing professionals working in the sector. Results: The results were subjected to content analysis and two categories emerged: perceptions of nurses on management and care, perception of the nursing technicians on the relationship between management and care. Conclusion: It was found that nurses had different views on the connections between management and care, while nursing technicians considered them inseparable and necessary and, therefore, should be the focus of nurses' performanc