Emotions at work: navigating institutional logics and nursing narratives

Purpose This study investigates how emotions influence the interplay between institutional logics and identity narratives among nursing professionals in a public Catholic hospital in Brazil. By examining the emotional dimensions of professional practices, it aims to reveal how institutional logics shape and are shaped by the narratives and identities of marginalized healthcare workers. Design/methodology/approach A narrative analysis was conducted. Data sources included 23 semi-structured interviews with nurses and nursing technicians, participant observations and document analysis. The Gioia method was employed for coding and categorizing the data. Findings We identified two narratives: “taking care means more than just taking care,” emphasizing emotional labor and humanized patient care, and “a priesthood or nursing for love,” portraying nursing as a vocational calling imbued with religious and emotional significance. These narratives reflect the influence of humanization and religiosity as institutional logics and highlight the central role of emotions. Emotional narratives serve as mechanisms for navigating marginalization, status competition and lack of recognition, providing a sense of existential stability to nursing professionals. Research limitations/implications The findings are context-specific and limited by the inability to access the hospital’s private facilities due to COVID-19 restrictions. Future research should explore secular or non-confessional settings to broaden generalizability. Practical implications Practically, fostering emotionally supportive environments and recognizing emotional narratives in care can improve staff retention and professional well-being in emotionally demanding fields like nursing. Originality/value This study offers a novel insight into how marginalized professionals construct meaningful narratives in high-stress contexts.