Health service managers: the story that each one tells about her/himself

Abstract

This study aimed to know the identity of tactic-level managers from a self-management health operator, considering the story that each one tells about her/himself. This is descriptive qualitative research, carried out by using the case study method. Data was obtained by means of semi-structured interviews, conducted with the three tactic-level managers from the operator at stake, and it underwent content analysis. When telling the story about who they are, these professionals revealed key spheres related to an individual’s biographical identity construction process, grasped through the past, present, and future temporal dimensions. They spoke of the family, the parents, the masters, and particularly the professional path and the ‘world experienced at work,’ as well as the way how the bonds established within these spaces and the experiences that took place at the macro-environment, environment, and workplace context dimensions have shown to be relevant for a positive self-construction. Such a construction has proved to be inseparable from the mobilization of professional skills to tackle various challenges in the daily work. Given the findings of this study, it is proposed to go on with it, by interconnecting the identity and professional skill of managers who work with the other types of operators that provide health care services and the managers who work at public and philanthropic organizations within the Brazilian health system.