Enfermeiros pós-graduados: continuidades e rupturas no cotidiano profissional de hospitais universitários

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar as transformações do cotidiano profissional do enfermeiro do hospital universitário após a realização do curso de mestrado. Trata-se de um estudo com abordagem qualitativa, realizado no Complexo Hospitalar Universitário da UFRN, composto pelo Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (HUOL), Maternidade Escola Januário Cicco (MEJEC), e Hospital de Pediatria Professor Heriberto Ferreira Bezerra (HOSPED) localizados em Natal-RN; e pelo Hospital Universitário Ana Bezerra (HUAB) situado em Santa Cruz-RN. A população foi composta por vinte e dois enfermeiros, com título de mestre em enfermagem, que trabalham nessas instituições. Após encaminhamento e aprovação pelo Comitê de ética em pesquisa, conforme Parecer nº 268.498 e CAAE: 13922713.1.0000.5537, as entrevistas foram iniciadas, utilizando-se um roteiro semiestruturado, organizado em questões orientadas em conformidade com os objetivos do estudo. Do material empírico, emergiram as categorias que foram trabalhadas com base na análise de conteúdo temática, tendo como aporte teórico os estudos de Agnes Heller acerca do cotidiano e os de Paulo Freire sobre educação e mudanças, buscando a possível interlocução entre esses autores. Os resultados demonstram que o cotidiano dos enfermeiros nos hospitais universitários, após cursarem o mestrado, modifica-se a partir da própria motivação em cursálo e do apoio institucional recebido. As continuidades e rupturas apontadas estão distribuídas nas categorias: a inércia da cotidianidade, na qual os enfermeiros relatam a dificuldade em mudar seu cotidiano devido à rotina exaustiva e à falta de apoio; reconhecem mudanças particulares, compreendendo a formação de um olhar crítico/reflexivo/analítico, e a qualificação para o ensino e pesquisa; e as rupturas do cotidiano, que se referem às mudanças ocorridas no serviço, como a melhoria da assistência, pela implantação de resultados; e uma prática diferenciada por ter um profissional qualificado. Portanto, considera-se que a realização do mestrado contribuiu para o crescimento do intelectual e profissional do enfermeiro e, consequentemente, para o serviço, no cotidiano do Complexo Hospitalar Universitário, sendo reconhecido pelos enfermeiros o compromisso com uma maior responsabilidade social. Porém, ainda são necessárias reflexões sobre maneiras de minimizar as dificuldades apontadas, como forma de incentivar essa qualificação

Enfermagem na atenção primária em saúde no screening de adolescentes com excesso de peso

One of the Primary Health Care strategies for adolescent health is the growth and development follow-up and the early detection of overweight adolescents. Even though the School Health Program in Brazil proposes to evaluate the nutritional state of the school population in the corresponding community health units, not all cities have adhered to the Program and many nurses do not recognize overweight as a problem in their territory. The objective of the study was to identify the nurse´s participation in the screening of overweight adolescent students in their work territory. Cross sectional study conducted in eight state supported schools of the municipality of Natal/RN and in four Primary Health Units. The total student population was 27.277. A stratified sample was statistically calculated based on the student population of the four city geographical zones: 112 North , 74 West; 108 East; and 78 South, totalizing 372 adolescents. The students were selected by a probability process where eight schools were first selected, two per district, until the number per subsample in each district was reached. Four primary health nurses, responsible for the health units were included. Two instruments were used for data collection, a screening questionnaire and a semi-structured interview form for questioning of the nurses. The content of both instruments was validated. Anthropometric and health data were collected from the students and analyzed with descriptive and analytical statistics. Interview data were transcribed and submitted to content analysis. The nursing diagnosis of overweight was identified in 50 (13,5%) of the adolescents and its association with consumption of foods that have cardiovascular risk (canned foods, pasta and fried food). An association of the nursing diagnosis was identified with family history (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and kidney disease). The nurses judged that care of overweight adolescents was important but noted difficulties because of the absence of this population in the health units, because of their work overload, and the lack of school articulation. The nurses do not have impacting actions with this population and delegate the responsibility to other professionals. It is concluded that overweight is a nutritional problem relevant to the adolescent school population in Natal/RN, with a 13,5% prevalence and that it is related to food consumption with cardiovascular risk and family health history. The nurses consider overweight as an important public health problem but do not envision ways to maintain linkage with adolescents and with the school to promote the needed care

Cuidado de enfermagem ao potencial doador de órgãos em morte encefálica: uma reflexão sobre a prática

Despite of the technological advances that favor the transplant process, there are issues of effectiveness of care necessary for the maintenance of potential organ donors with brain death, which contribute to the no realization of transplants of organs and tissues of these patients. It is presupposed that the problems could be related to perceptions and understandings that the professionals of the units of internment have about the care required by the diagnosis of brain death. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of the nursing care of the potential organ donor with brain death to the nursing staff. Descriptive study with qualitative approach guided by Action Science Theory and the critic-reflexive research methodology accomplished with five nurses and 19 nursing technicians from Operative Rehabilitation Center in a public hospital at Natal / RN, Brazil, between March and May 2013. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with individual reflection about the care and through group interview, after approval by the Ethics and Research Committee, CAAE No.: 04255612.7.0000.5537. The analysis was performed in a thematic way according to Bardin. During the group meeting the participants were driven in a discussion about the need for change and how to perform them. The results indicate that the professionals actions are consistent with those required for maintenance of potential organ donors, although the material and human resources are not adequate. That situation leads the professionals to develop a meaning of care as one labor more, demanding more than they can give. They express beliefs and feelings concerning the hope that their care brings a greater good that is to save lives. The reflection for a possible change of action was difficult to accomplish due to professionals not to be able to self evaluate, what lead to direct your changes suggestions for other team members. It is concluded that the care provided to these patients is a difficult care, evidenced by suffering both death situation of the person cared and pain of their families, as the dehumanizing conditions of work, helping themselves to keep distance from patients to not suffer so much. The knowledge impregnated in their act, are scientific, ethical, aesthetic and personal kind with a predominance of the scientific followed by the personal. The study was also relevant to the practice of nursing in maintaining the potential donor, in that it allowed the identification of the knowledge used by nurses in their care practice and the meaning understanding of the professionals on the care provided, as a good action that brings satisfaction when the transplanting is executed. Other experiences are suggested with the critic-reflexive research methodology, both in research as in teaching nursing

Processo de trabalho na estratégia saúde da família: potencialidades e fragilidades da atuação do enfermeiro

The present study aims to analyze the nurse s work process at Family Health Strategy, considering its basic elements and dynamic, and searching to identify aspects that may constitute strengths and weaknesses in its development. This is an analytical case study, with qualitative approach and theoretical-conceptual mark grounded in Dialectic Hermeneutics. Empirical research fields were the Family Health Units of Natal, RN, Brazil. The subjects are nurses working in this Strategy. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured individual interviews combined with field observation. The research was initiated after approval by the Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, according to the guidelines and rules for research involving humans (Resolution 466/12), ensuring proper ethical precepts. The project was approved by register number 398.929, CAAE 19588813.7.0000.5537. From the 9 interviewed nurses, 8 were female and 1 male, average age of 52 years, average graduation time of 27 years and average time they stayed at the same Family Health territory of 7 years. It was found that it is up to the professional nurse in the Family Health care the important role of taking care of human beings in their life, family and community contexts, producing conditions to meet their needs through therapeutic act in health, using for such purpose both materials and immaterial instruments. It was possible to relate aspects that characterize strengths and weaknesses in the work process of nurses in the ESF, according to the speech of the interviewed workers, including the meanings and contradictions. Among the potentialities observed, it was possible to highlight the wide role of the nurse at Family Health; the perception of nurses about teamwork; the relative autonomy of nurses; the commitment of professionals to work; Humanization as a technology; the presence of other agents at work, such as directors and officers at the primary health units; the professional s experience time and contract type in the case studied. As weaknesses in the work process of nurses at Family Health Strategy, were highlighted the limited skills of the workforce; the difficulty in 10 identifying specific limits of the work of nurses in this scenario; the disturbances that occur in the process, the existing gaps in multiprofessional teams; Structural deficits of the units in the studied case, the low coverage of the Family Health in the county, and the political vulnerability of the work conditions. It is considered necessary to understand the dilemmas experienced in everyday life of nurses at Family Health Strategy as part of multiprofessional teams, facing actual achievement of changes in work processes necessary for the reorientation of health care in Brazil. In accordance, it is necessary to promote proper working conditions and welfare of labor agents which are protagonists the work at the United Health System

Trauma em idosos atendidos pelo serviço pré-hospitalar móvel

O The aim of this study was to characterize the occurrence of trauma in the elderly population served by the mobile pre-hospital service, in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte. This is a descriptive, transversal and quantitative approach and whose population consisted of 2,080 trauma victims. The sample, of systematic random type, consisted of 400 elderly people, aged from 60 years old, assisted by the Office of Mobile Emergency in Natal / RN, between January 2011 and December 2012. Data collection began after consent and assent of the institution of a Research Ethics Committee under No. 309 505. It was proceeded to documentary retrospective analysis of records of this service through a form of self-development, validated by expert judges considered reliable (α> 0.75) and valid (CVI = 0.97) in their clarity and relevance. Data were tabulated by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0. The results show that older victims have an average age of 74.19 years old, with a prevalence of female involvement by chronic diseases, especially hypertension, average usage of 2.2 routine medications with vital signs within normal limits. The trauma prevailed during the daytime, in the residence of the victims, north of the city and on weekends. Among the mechanisms of trauma were falls, traffic accidents and physical aggression, whose most common type was brain-cerebral trauma and the main consequences were suture wounds and closed fractures. Basic Support Units were as more driven to pre-hospital care (87.8%) and the main destination place consisted of a referral hospital for emergency of the state (57.5%). Among the most commonly performed procedures by nursing staff immobilization with rigid board and neck collar and the peripheral venipuncture, and the main component used for volume replacement to saline were highlighted. There was a significant relationship between the deaths and the mechanism of injury, mechanism of injury and procedures, except medication administration procedures carried out, except immobilization and unit for service. It is highlighted the prevalence of trauma in the elderly, poor follow-up Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support protocol and the paucity of records and nursing procedures performed. There is need for a protocol of care specific to elderly trauma victims and education strategies for the prevention of such events

O ensino de enfermagem gerontológica na formação do enfermeiro

At the current time of demographic changes in the world , it is observed that the health sector requires restructuring of its practices in caring for the elderly , in order to enable a comprehensive and humane care . In this sense, we identify the need for qualified professionals to assist the elderly and, therefore , it is important that training curricula are adequate to this reality . The study aims to analyze how it develops teaching gerontological nursing component in undergraduate nursing . This is a descriptive , exploratory study with a qualitative approach, in two higher education institutions in the city of Natal / RN . The population involved corresponded to the coordinators of graduate courses in nursing and teachers who teach content of health care for the elderly, a total of seven participants . The data collection instruments were used: a questionnaire containing questions related to the characterization of the participants and the teaching of gerontological nursing in undergraduate courses in nursing and a form with items of analysis for pedagogical projects . The results were presented descriptively in tables and analyzed from coming themes of the main themes of the instruments defined in: knowledge about the research participants , knowledge of teaching gerontological nursing component and knowledge of pedagogical projects , discussed under Resolution paragraph . 03 of 7/11/2001 , which establishes standards for the nursing program , the educational projects of educational institutions , the Theoretical Donald Shoon and thematically relevant literature . The results indicate that the majority of participants were female (four), all have graduate though , none of them stated in the qualification of aging or elderly health area; the organization of the contents of the component in the curriculum, workload theoretical- methodological and practical teaching strategies presented was heterogeneous and sometimes diverging at the same institution . On the definition of gerontological nursing component was identified that is not well defined along the pedagogical design of educational institutions surveyed . It was concluded that in the context of this study , teaching gerontological nursing is present in the course of nursing education, but needs reevaluation and updating in order to teach a wider range of driving and health practices

Estágio supervisionado em enfermagem: visão de preceptores

The present study aimed to analyze the vision of tutors from a university hospital about supervised internship in nursing. It is a descriptive nature research with qualitative approach, developed at the University Hospital Onofre Lopes (HUOL), located in Natal/RN. The population was composed of eleven assisting nurses engaged the precentorship of undergraduate course students in nursing, from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). For the empirical research, conducted in the period from September to November 2013, the semi-structured interview involving questions directed to the stage was used, as advocate the national curriculum guidelines, as regards this curricular component. With the consent of the institution where the study has been developed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of UFRN, as n° 17800613.9.0000.5537, besides CAAE signing an informed consent by participants. The analysis of the information was held from the analysis of content, thematic mode. Thereby four categories were defined a priori, namely: the supervised internship in the vision of nurses; To be preceptor; The internship concerned: contributions and difficulties; Do the institutional actors communicate? The results indicate that in the view of the supervised internship preceptors is a sine qua non for the training of nurses, considering that it prepares for professional life. Besides being a moment conducive to the exercise of management and a greater rapprochement between theory and practice, stimulates the preceptor to upgrade to better exercise the function and also provides an exchange of knowledge between students and tutors, thus contributing to optimize the service. Nevertheless, the respondents indicate the existence of a distancing and little communication with the academic institution. In summary, it is realized that the nurses understand the importance of its function of tutors and supervised stage for vocational training. It is necessary, however, to reflect on the paths to be pinched in the confrontation of difficulties in this process, especially as regards the teaching/service relationship, which, while remaining at a distance, strengthens the existing dichotomy between theory and practice

Trajetória de profissionais da saúde de um hospital colônia para hanseníase

Leprosy as a public health problem , there is still quite some time , even with treatment for decades . Your health-disease process is marked by a historical backdrop of stigma , prejudice, social exclusion and authoritarian decisionducts , in order to extinguish the disease milieu under the regime of compulsory confinement of the patient. In this perspective , the Brazilian public health twentieth century adopted policies of compulsory isolation , which meant that those who receive a diagnosis of leprosy were isolated from society and their families in hospitals colonies . Objective is, to the study, rescue the trajectory of health professionals in the Colony Hospital St. Francis of Assisi , in Natal / RN ; Identify the policy was perceived as compulsory institutionalization imposed for leprosy patients by health professionals ; describe the behaviors Professional Hospital adopted in Cologne ; Retrieve information about the existence and functioning of the Hospital and Create a documentary of historical fragments of leprosy from the point of view of professionals from a former colony. Exploratory - descriptive method with a qualitative approach , using the methodological framework thematic oral history was used . Obtained approval by the IRB of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, under Protocol No 461 403 and CAAE 19476913.9.0000.5537 . Be interviewed during the period of November and December 2013 , five health professionals who worked in the hospital colony , using audio recorder and images to capture and record the statements. The interviews were transcribed , textualized, transcriadas and sent to reviewers to step conference of the reports. Subsequently , analysis of the stories was made from the proposed content analysis of Bardin . The results and discussion are presented in the form of article: Opinion of nursing professionals who worked in a hospital for leprosy colony , which aimed to : identify the opinion of nurses who worked in hospital colony on the lives of patients . In this article, three main themes were highlighted and discussed from the reports of colaboradoes : I - The socialization process of internal II - 16 Prejudice , stigma and discrimination III - Social exclusion versus inclusion . We conclude that , in the context of the colony hospital, the performance of health professionals contributed significantly to that stigma , prejudice and social exclusion would be minimized and that the experience of asylum seekers in the colony were not seen more traumatic

Clima e cultura de segurança do paciente em uma maternidade escola: percepção dos profissionais de enfermagem em terapia intensiva

Since the publication of the report "To Err is Human" by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) , which estimated that between 44.000 to 98.000 Americans die annually as a result of errors in health care, patient safety spent gaining prominence, emerging studies assess the safety culture by measuring the safety climate. In this context, the aim of this study was to identify safety culture perceived by nursing professionals working in the intensive care unit of a maternity school in Natal/RN through the Security Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). This was a descriptive study, cross-sectional and quantitative approach undertaken in the Intensive Care Unit Maternal and Neonatal a maternity school in Natal/RN. The project was submitted to and approved by Brazil Platform Zip/UFRN under number 309 540 and CAAE 16489713.7.0000.5537. It was used to collect data two instruments: a questionnaire in order to collect socio-demographic data of the subjects and the Questionário Atitudes de Segurança , a cultural adaptation to Portuguese of the instrument of the World Health Organization titled Safety Attitudes Questionnaire - (SAQ ) Short Form 2006. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively by the organization in electronic databases in Microsoft Excel 2010 spreadsheet and exported to statistical software for free access to be coded, tabulated and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study included a total of 50 nurses, 31 and 19 of the NICU Maternal ICU, predominantly female, mean age 35 years, median time of 10 years training and working in maternity, mostly, less than 05 anos. As a result, two articles were produced. The first refers to the first two domains of the instrument entitled "climate of teamwork" and "climate security" . The scores of the two areas were slightly higher in Maternal ICU compared to the NICU, but no sector has reached the ideal minimum score of 75: in the first domain Maternal ICU had an average of 74.77, with medians of 75 and 100, while Neonatal ICU reached an average of 69.61 with median also 75 and 100, while the second field means were 69.35 and 66.01 for Maternal and Neonatal ICUs respectively, with a median of 100 in the two sectors. The second article relates to the field "Perception Management Unit and Hospital", which 9 assessed the perception of management units and motherhood by professionals. In general, the items of the domain in question also obtained scores below the ideal minimum: 63.68 to 51.02 and maternal ICU for neonatal, featuring a clear separation between the management and the professionals who work in direct care. These findings indicate a warning sign for the institution and point to the need to implement actions aimed at patient safety

Autoestima e qualidade de vida de pessoas com úlcera venosa atendidas na atenção primária

Venous ulcers (VU) is a chronic injury of the lower extremities and because of its high incidence and recurrence implies long and complex treatments, damaging the quality of life (QOL) and self-esteem (SE) of the people. This study aimed to analyze the association between self-esteem with the quality of life of people with venous ulcers treated in primary care. Cross sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach conducted with 44 people met with VU at 13 primary care units 2 and Mixed units in Natal/RN. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee in Research of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), CAAE: 07556312.0.0000.5537. Held data collection from February to April 2014 and used three instruments: a structured form covering sociodemographic, health care and clinical variables, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the SF-36. The collected data were entered into a database and processed on computerized software for descriptive and inferential analyzes. The results showed a predominance of people with UV females (65,9%), with more than 60 years (59,1%), married or in a stable relationship (52,3%), low education (86,4%) without occupation (68,2%) and less than one minimum wage income (81,8%). Regarding assistance characteristics was observed that most patients performed the dressing with appropriate material (72,7%), professional or trained caregiver (61,4%) did not use compression therapy (81,8%), treating the injury for more than 6 months (77,3%), lack of guidelines for the use of compression therapy, elevation of legs, and regular exercise (77,3%) and consulting the angiologist last year (52,3% ). Regarding clinical features of the lesion was found that most of the recurrent lesions are (77,3%), over one year of current lesion (52,3%) medium to large lesions (54,8%), without signs of infection (61,3%) and pain (79,5%). The mean SE of respondents was 9,3 (± 5,1). The relations between the SE and the sociodemographic variables, health care and clinics showed that individuals without a partner (a) (p = 0,01), who did not wear compression therapy (p = 0,04), with more 6 months of treatment (p = 0,01) and larger lesions (p = 0,01) had a lower SE. The mean domain and the dimensions of the SF-36 were lower emphasizing the functional capacity 36.5 (± 27,6) and the physical aspects of 15.3 (± 30,6). There were significant correlations between AE people with VU and the domains and dimensions of the SF-36: physical functioning (r = -0,432), general health (r = -0,415), vitality (r = -0,573), aspects social (r = -0,517), mental health (r = -0,612) and mental health dimensions (r = -0,612) and physical health (r = -0,473). Based on these results it is concluded by rejecting the null hypothesis and accept the alternative proposed in the study in which it was found that there is a negative correlation between the SE and the QOL of people with venous ulcers

Nascimento de um filho :o significado para o pai

Qualitative study on the meaning of a child s birth to the father. Its general purpose was to comprehend the significance the man attaches to his child s birth and its specific objectives were to identify the man s feelings with regard to his child s birth as well as to verify his attitude toward a child s birth. The study was founded on the theoretical reference system about the man in the gravid-puerperal cycle and the humanization of the assistance. The data were obtained through semistructured interview performed with men accompanying their children s birth whose wives were in the immediate puerperium. This stage occurred in two maternity hospitals in Natal-RN, both of which adopt the principle of safe notherhood in the attendance of women in the process of parturition. The material apprehended from the statements was treated in conformity with the content analysis method in the mode of thematic analysis according to Bardin. Three thematic categories emerged from this process: the father s attitude toward his child s birth, the father s feelings in respect of his child s birth, and the informations received by the father in the course of his child s birth. The speech content was analyzed in accordance with the principles of symbolic interactionism according to Blumer. The results showed that the husbands interact with their respective wives and respond with attitudes of care, help, support, and encouragement within the principles of humanization intermingled with feelings of happiness, restlessness, and suffering leading them to appraise and exalt their consorts. Besides, we verified that the father s attitudes and feelings in the delivery room in the light of symbolic interactionism tend to be influenced by the interaction between him and the attending professionals

Úlceras de pressão: um estudo com pacientes de unidade de terapia intensiva

To characterize patients according to gender, age category, internment time, diagnostical hypothesis and location of the pressure ulcer; to identify the susceptibility conditions, intrinsical and extrinsical factors present on ICU patients and to verify on the existence of association between the susceptibility conditions and the intrinsecal and extrinsecal factors on the occurrence of PU. Methods: It is a descriptive study, of longitudinal design of the panel type, with quantitative approach, performed on two ICU s of a private hospital located in Natal/RN, with 40 patients interned at these units. The data collection was performed on all three shifts through a structured observation and physical exam of the patients' skin form seeking to identify the presence of PU. Results: The greatest occurence of PU was on individuals of the male gender (70%) when compared to the female gender (30%), that difference being statistically significant (p=0,0267), with the male gender presenting 4,3 times greater chance of developing PU than the female; the predominant age category was from 60 years of age on (85%), 60,0% presented 1 to 2 PU s after 7 (seven) days of permanence in the ICU s, the predominant diagnostical hypothesis on the patients with PU were the respiratory diseases (42,3%) and the most frequent locations of PU were the sacral region (40,0%) and heels (36,0%). 25 PU s of stage I were diagnosed on 50,0% of the followed patients, with general incidence of 50,0% on both ICUs. from the 88 variables researched, 75 were identified on the patients from the study, being the predominant conditions (anemia, hypotension, leukocytosis, other diseases hypertension blood pressure, cardiac insuffience, pneumonia - and ansiolythic), the intrinsecal factors (diminished muscular strenght and/or mass, discrete edema, totally compromised mobile coordination and total inability for movement on the bed) and the extrinsecal factors (inadequate mattress type, permanence on a single position for >2 hours, shearing/friction force, bed clothes with folds that leave marks on the body, pressure force) predominated on patients with PU. The male gender variables (p=0,0267,OR=4,3), sedation (p=0,0006,OR=4,1), psychomotive agitation (p=0,0375,OR=5,8) and leukocytosis (p=0,0285,OR=5,0) presented a significant statistical diference when analyzed independently. We verified an association of 17,3%, statistically significant (p=0,0384), between the susceptibility conditions (anemia, leukocytosis and hypotension), the intrinsecal factors (age equal or above 60 years, diminished/absent pain sensibility and smooth, fine or delicate skin) and the extrinsecal factors (inadequate mattress, pressure forces, shearing/friction force, permanence on a single position for more than 2 hours, elevation between 30 to 45 degrees and inadequate bed clothes' conditions), with a chance ratio of 4,6 times the risk of occurrence of PU on the patients that presented the referred association. Conclusion: The incidence of PU detected on the ICU-interned patients was high and we made evident the existence of association between the susceptibility conditions, the intrinsecal and extrinsecal factors on the occurrence of PU s on the ICUinterned patients, and thus we accept the alternative hypothesis proposed on the study

Razão e Fé: estudo do grupo de oração como prática complementar na promoção à saúde

The World Health Organization (WHO) has given special attention to therapeutic procedures other than those practiced in conventional therapy, including homeopathy, phytotherapy, spiritual therapies and prayers, making possible the transition from a mere medicalizating model to a holistic view of the human being. This trend, earmarked in 1978 at the Alma-Ata Conference, questions the ability of technological and specialized medicine to solve the health problems of humankind. In Brazil, the onset of the Brazilian unified health system in 1988, introduced changes in the population s health care model where, within the scope of basic care, emphasis has been given to the Family Health Program since 1994. In this scenery, there is a broad area of complementary practices used in promoting health and preventing and treating diseases to support an understanding of the habits and beliefs underpinning popular practices. The purpose of this study was to analyze the perception users participating in the Peace and Balance group of the Family Health Unit of Nova Cidade, in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, started in 1999, have of the relationship between the experience of prayer and the changes that may have taken place in their lives after joining the group. It is a case study of descriptive nature and qualitative approach. The data were collected during focus group interviews between January and February 2007, using as tools a questionnaire to describe the research participants and a discussion outline. The theoretical support approached the following: religion and the evolution of thought; complementary health practices; and religion as a complementary health practice. Those interviewed reported, as results of such experience, a reduction in stress and depression, an increase in socialization and self-esteem, improved family interaction, comfort, safety, assurance, improved blood pressure levels and a decrease in the use of antihypertension medication and psychopharmacs. Although most professionals do not consider attention to the religious and spiritual aspects an effective therapeutical complement in health care, its understanding and practice may democratize knowledge and relationships, out of which they can learn how to make health production more effective, strengthening assurance and confidence, and developing and expanding soft technologies aimed at health care promotion and wholeness

Vivência do enfermeiro no cuidado humano na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva adulto

The purpose of the study was to understand the nurse s experience with human care in the Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The objective was to describe the nurse s experience in caring for patients in the ICU and to analyze the nurse s perception of the care provided. The study is a descriptive inquiry of qualitative nature with a phenomenological approach. We interviewed eight nurses, 26 and 43 years of age, that provide care in the ICU of a private hospital in Natal/RN, during the manths of July and August of 2006. We analyzed the data acording to the method of Colaizzi. Four categories emerged from the data: The search for the maintenance of life, The technicalbureaucratic activities, The recognition of the patient s individuality, and the expression of the nurse s feelings.The analysis allowed us to describe the lived experience of the nurse s care the ICU and to comprehend the structural elements of this experience. The results showed that the nurse s experience presents itself as a process of the several actions and feelings that occur while the social relations between the patient and the nurse develop. Finally, we understand that although the study shows an experience based on a biological model of health, these nurses possess an initial idea on how to reach humanized care in its essence, needing, however, of an institutional policy that favors this practice, an educational formation that prepares her to recognize her field of work as a place of continuous learning and an understanding of the health model as an ally in the search of humanized care

Modelagem numérica de estruturas de contenção atirantadas em areia

A numerical study on the behavior of tied-back retaining walls in sand, using the finite element method (FEM) is presented. The analyses were performed using the software Plaxis 2D, and were focused on the development of horizontal displacements, horizontal stresses, shear forces and bending moments in the structure during the construction process. Emphasis was placed on the evaluation of wall embedment, tie-back horizontal spacing, wall thickness, and free anchor length on wall behavior. A representative soil profile of a specific region at the City of Natal, Brazil, was used in the numerical analyses. New facilities built on this region often include retaining structures of the same type studied herein. Soil behavior was modeled using the Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model, whereas the structural elements were modeled using the linear elastic model. Shear strength parameters of the soil layers were obtained from direct shear test results conducted with samples collected at the studied site. Deformation parameters were obtained from empirical correlations from SPT test results carried out on the studied site. The results of the numerical analyses revealed that the effect of wall embedment on the investigated parameters is virtually negligible. Conversely, the tie-back horizontal spacing plays an important role on the investigated parameters. The results also demonstrated that the wall thickness significantly affects the wall horizontal displacements, and the shear forces and bending moments within the retaining structure. However, wall thickness was not found to influence horizontal stresses in the structure