Percepções da equipe de saúde sobre o trabalho e a educação interprofissional na sala de emergência

Abstract

Contemporary society faces complex health challenges such as chronic diseases, an aging population, and overloaded emergency services, hindering the implementation of more effective health service production models. Interprofessional education and work are essential for improving the quality of care and can contribute to advancements in systems, but their implementation encounters obstacles. This study aims to understand the perceptions of healthcare professionals working in the emergency department regarding interprofessional work and education. It is a qualitative, analytical study based on the theoretical framework of the historicalcultural approach proposed by Vygotsky. The research was conducted in the emergency department, specifically in a critical care area of a large public hospital. The study included 28 participants interviewed using a semi-structured script from December 2022 to March 2023. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed through Reflective Thematic Analysis. The research received approval from the Ethics and Research Committee, opinion number 5.759.746, (CAAE: 63121722.4.0000.5142). Two themes were identified: "Nobody works alone in the emergency department: mandatory interaction due to the nature of the work", with two sub-themes, "The (un)awareness of each other's roles in a hierarchical space" and "Communication: an indispensable tool for interprofessional work in the emergency department"; "Learning to work as a team in daily practice and overcoming shortcomings in uniprofessional training", with sub-themes: "Interprofessional work: a process of knowledge exchange and continuous learning from each other" and "Possible but not always implemented strategies in continuing education". Participants perceptions of interprofessional work and education are strongly shaped by the material conditions that enable their own work and color the possibilities of interaction in the critical care area, a scenario where interprofessional collaboration takes place, substantially influencing its effectiveness and dynamics. Professionals recognize that interprofessional work is a necessary reality to meet the demands of emergency labor processes. They acknowledge that working conditions, particularly overload and hierarchy, influence the possibilities of collaboration among professionals. There is a need to reformulate educational models to better prepare professionals for interprofessional practice, considering that interprofessional education is not always emphasized in the context of initial and continuing education for emergency work.