Avaliação do ensino da obstretícia e da assistência ao parto sob a percepção dos graduandos em medicina e enfermagem na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

OBJETIVE: To evaluate the perception of Medical and Nursing students of Medicine and Nursing graduation courses at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), on obstetrics teaching and labor assistance in the context of the maternal care provided by the Maternity Hospital Januário Cicco (MEJC) and contribute to curricular updating planning of teaching obstetrics, in accordance with the principles of humanization. METHODS: It was conducted a study of cross-cutting approach and qualitative and quantitative descriptive method, with students in medicine and nursing of UFRN, who were attending or had been attended the midwifery disciplines medicine; and women's health in nursing. The data were collected through a questionnaire with objective and subjective questions, and stored in a database, spreadsheet software Excel / Office 2010 with all the variables. RESULTS: We interviewed 169 students, 118 of medical school and 51 from the nursing program, of which 46.75% were male and 53.25% female. The largest number of medical respondents is the 11th period (40.67%), and nursing, on 10, (43.15%). These students witnessed 1,073 births, and (61.8%) vaginal deliveries. The obstetricians were the most performed vaginal deliveries (40%). Nurses performed only (8.13%). The assistance provided to women during the process of labor and delivery, was configured as suitable for 87.58% of respondents and these glimpsed humane conduct. Students who performed deliveries, 76.27% were medical and 11.76% were nursing. All had guidance while doing them. A total of 19.50% medical students reported that there is a prejudice against vaginal delivery, particularly for the humanized birth, unlike all nursing students (100%) who reported that there is this prejudice. Most students (73%) showed preference for vaginal delivery, especially nursing students. On the knowledge of myths in relation to vaginal delivery, 60.35% answered that they know some. CONCLUSION: This study presents itself as a highly relevant, since the results may contribute to curricular changing and updating related to obstetrics teaching, but also serve as a resource for analysis of humanization practices that should be developed in educational institutions and which are recommended by the Ministry of Health.