Trabajando a gusto en Enfermería

introduction: the care provided to patients who are hospitalized, requires from the caregivers not only their knowledge, also their emotional stability and interpersonal skills, which can be strenghtened trought the development of their personality. objective: to describe the results of the educational initiative "working with pleasure" directed towards the nursing staff in a third level hospital, targeted at strengthening the staff’s personality traits. methodology: descriptive study result of an extension research project performed at the hus (university hospital of santander, by their acronym in spanish). three tools were used: assertive communication, emotion control, and stress prevention and management. they were all used before and after the intervention. results: the participants of the assertive communication thematic axis showed an increased assertiveness level from 39,17% prior to the test to 45,48% after the test. regarding emotion control, clarity (defined as good comprehension) went from 25,37% prior to the intervention to 32,14%, a level classified as excellent. for reparation (defined as the capacity to correctly regulate emotional states the subjects) improved from 26,47% to 38%. for stress prevention and management no variation was evident in the study. conclussions: the intervention was effective regarding communication and emotion control. while attitudes are learnt and modifiable, they require long-term learning processes to achieve more significant and better results as well as follow ups and further measurements. salud uis 2012; 44 (1): 29-38