Delineamento do perfil docente para educação interprofissional em saúde no campus de uma universidade brasileira

Abstract

The obstacles to interprofessional education stem from the structural logic of the current scenario in Brazilian higher education. Most courses operate in isolation, within their own structures, reinforcing and legitimizing informational segregation and hindering interaction among students in their initial training process. As a result, the cultural barrier is still seen as the greatest challenge, initially introduced through the epistemological and pedagogical perspective of the instructor. The proposal of Interprofessional Education in Health recognizes the mutually influential relationship between healthcare and education as a strategy to train professionals who are prepared and capable of working in teams, thereby improving user care and community service. The objective of this research is to analyze the integration of Interprofessional Education into the teaching practices of health-related courses at the campuses of the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG). This is a descriptive study, with a qualitative approach conducted through mixed-method research. Data were collected through Course Pedagogical Projects (PPCs) and semi-structured interviews with faculty members of the institution. The study was approved by the ethics committee under opinion number 7.149.428, in accordance with ethical aspects outlined in Resolution 466/12. The analysis of the Course Pedagogical Projects, regarding the three health-related courses identified on the Campina Grande campus, suggests that most of them include basic competencies and skills for Interprofessional Practice, although under different terminology, such as promoting integrated and collaborative teamwork, communicating and sharing information instead of withholding it, and articulating and presenting ideas fluently to engage in dialogue, enabling both listening and coherent verbal expression. Regarding the interviews, ten faculty members agreed to participate, including six from the nursing program, three from the medical program, and one from the psychology program. Upon analyzing the interviewees’ responses, it was noted that concepts introduced by Marina Peduzzi and Heloise Agreli were identified in more than half of the answers, thereby revealing which interprofessional education concepts and principles are currently being discussed and applied. Furthermore, eight of the participants either had an affinity with or taught courses in subjects where the potential for interprofessional education is more readily engaged and debated, such as public health, collective health, and palliative care. Regarding the weaknesses and strengths of interprofessional education and its incorporation into practice, it was observed that faculty training is a central point for its implementation. However, academic qualifications alone are not sufficient. Beyond this, faculty members must be willing to break away from traditional practices often characterized by competition and rigidity and adopt a more flexible and collaborative stance. It is also crucial to provide the necessary working conditions for these practices, which implies a transformation in both training and pedagogical practice. Thus, despite the difficulties in obtaining interview responses whether due to the suggested theme or participants’ availability it is evident that interprofessional education is not limited to academic training alone. It demands a mindset shift, a commitment to collaborative learning, and above all, a willingness to overcome both personal and institutional barriers.