Defense strategies in the nursing work environment of long-stay institutions for the elderly.

Objective: To describe the defense strategies used by nurses working in long-stay institutions for the elderly when faced with work environment distress.

Methodology: Descriptive, exploratory and qualitative research performed through interviews held with 27 nurses at long-stay institutions for the elderly between April and September 2013. Data analysis was performed through content analysis and the theory known as work psychodynamics.

Results: The strategies used were: considering death as something natural, understanding death of those in critical condition as the end to a sufferable condition, understanding the patient's resistance as a symptom of disease and senility, limit the reach of work problems in their personal life, and restrict the affective involvement with patients.

Conclusion: The nursing professionals indicated the development of individual defense strategies - grouped as protection, adaptation and exploitation measures - in order to deal with situations that generate distress in their work environment.