Occupational health is a necessary, complex and socially important scientific knowledge area. Studies address health and its relation with the pleasure and suffering of work.In nursing, occupational health research shows a scenario that is predominantly focused on the occupational risk factors presents in the profession's own work environments, particularly highlighting studies on the profession's care practice, to the detriment of research on workers' health. Therefore, the work of nurses and nursing deserve further attention in research, due to the complex range of situations nursing professionals are confronted with, whose work is often performed in inappropriate conditions.