Potentialities and weaknesses of Education and Interprofessional Work in health: perspectives of professionals in Northeast Brazil

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization recognizes that IPE is an innovative strategy that provides collaborative practice. The same occurs when two or more professions learn about others, with others and with each other. OBJECTIVE: To present the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of education and interprofessional work from the perspective of health professionals in the public sector in Northeast Brazil. METHODS: It is an exploratory field research, with a qualitative approach. Data were collected from 189 health care participants from different backgrounds in health care in Northeast Brazil. The collected data were inserted in synoptic tables and organized into thematic categories. RESULTS: The contents expressed in the open space of the electronic form were analyzed from two thematic axes that emerged from the research results and guided the analyzes: Importance, challenges and possibilities of Education and Interprofessional Work; and Health Training for Interprofessional practice. The contents expressed point to the need for curricular changes in the graduations of health courses, in order to favor training aimed at interprofessionality and with the capacity to work in collaborative teams. CONCLUSION: Deficits in academic training and continuing education have been identified to strengthen IPE to strengthen interprofessional practices and, consequently, to strengthen interprofessional practices.