Integrating professional education, research and extensionin irrigated agriculture technology centers

With the objective to stimulate the use of irrigation and the electric energy fee reduction during night time program granted by the 2004 Federal law, the Government of the state of Paraná, Brazil launched the Night Irrigation Program - NPI. Beyond this discount, the farmer that adheres to NPI will get additional benefits, as completion of the electric grid without cost, subsidized financing of equipment, technical assistance, support with environmental farm compliance, and the possibility of replacing the entire pump energy matrix. As part of the NPI strategy of action, installation of learning centers for irrigation technology was planned in agricultural schools, thus contributing both to improve technical professional training in agriculture, and for the dissemination of knowledge in irrigated agriculture, in order to increase agricultural productivity.

Tele-education and competencies assessment to Brazilian's auxiliary nurse

This paper presents Brazilian's experience with the organization of methods and strategies for the assessment of competencies for technical level of nursing workers. The evaluative process proposed includes the creation of a learning-oriented and distance-based virtual assessment environment. The proposed methodology for professional competencies assessment adopted a critical-emancipatory perspective. A tele-education environment was deployed, involving software development - a virtual man - and an assessment cybertutor. Learning modules for the cybertutor were developed and videos of clinical simulations, structured around assessment in cognitive, behavioral, and simulation areas. The evaluation modules considered aspects of competencies in know-know, know-how and know-act professional ethics. Also the variability of practices of nursing - hospitals and primary health care units - was considered. This instrument showed as an important strategy for the optimization of assessment procedures that are widely used across Brazil and it is a powerful tool for incorporation into the continuing professional education.

Demand for and availability of online support to stop smoking

OBJECTIVES: Estimate the frequency of online searches on the topic of smoking and analyze the quality of online resources available to smokers interested in giving up smoking. METHODS: Search engines were used to revise searches and online resources related to stopping smoking in Brazil in 2010. The number of searches was determined using analytical tools available on Google Ads; the number and type of sites were determined by replicating the search patterns of internet users. The sites were classified according to content (advertising, library of articles and other). The quality of the sites was analyzed using the Smoking Treatment Scale- Content (STS-C) and the Smoking Treatment Scale - Rating (STS-R). RESULTS: A total of 642,446 searches was carried out. Around a third of the 113 sites encountered were of the 'library' type, i.e. they only contained articles, followed by sites containing clinical advertising (18.6) and professional education (10.6). Thirteen of the sites offered advice on quitting directed at smokers. The majority of the sites did not contain evidence-based information, were not interactive and did not have the possibility of communicating with users after the first contact. Other limitations we came across were a lack of financial disclosure as well as no guarantee of privacy concerning information obtained and no distinction made between editorial content and advertisements. CONCLUSIONS: There is a disparity between the high demand for online support in giving up smoking and the scarcity of quality online resources for smokers. It is necessary to develop interactive, customized online resources based on evidence and random clinical testing in order to improve the support available to Brazilian smokers.

Educação permanente em saúde: metassíntese

OBJETIVO : Realizar metassíntese da literatura sobre os principais conceitos e práticas relacionados à educação permanente em saúde. MÉTODOS : Foi realizada busca bibliográfica de artigos originais nas bases de dados PubMed, Web of Science, Lilacs, IBECS e SciELO, utilizando os seguintes descritores: “ public health professional education ”, “ permanent education”, “continuing education ”, “ permanent education health ”. De um total de 590 artigos identificados, após os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, foram selecionados 48 para análise, os quais foram submetidos à análise individual, análise comparativa, análise com critérios de agrupamentos de elementos-chave e submetidos à metassíntese. RESULTADOS : Os 48 artigos originais foram classificados como elementos-chave em quatro unidades temáticas: 1) Concepções; 2) Estratégias e dificuldades; 3) Políticas públicas; e 4) Instituições formadoras. Foram encontradas três concepções principais de educação permanente em saúde: problematizadora e focada no trabalho em equipe, diretamente relacionada à educação continuada e educação que se dá ao longo da vida. As principais estratégias para efetivação da educação permanente foram a problematização, manutenção de espaços para a educação permanente e polos de educação permanente. O maior fator limitante foi relacionado à gerência direta ou indireta. Foram indicadas a necessidade de implementação e manutenção de políticas públicas, além de disponibilidade de recursos financeiros e de recursos humanos. As instituições formadoras teriam necessidade de articular ensino e serviço para a formação de egressos críticos-reflexivos. CONCLUSÕES : A articulação educação e saúde encontra-se pautada tanto nas ações dos serviços de saúde, quanto de gestão e de instituições formadoras. Assim, torna-se um desafio implementar processos de ensino-aprendizagem que sejam respaldados por ações crítico-reflexivas. É necessário realizar propostas de educação permanente em saúde com a participação de profissionais dos serviços, professores e profissionais das instituições de ensino.

A pesquisa como perspectiva de formação continuada do professor de química

The education of a chemistry teacher is not being seen as a specific preparation for the exercise of a professional activity, which differs from the professional activity of a chemist or a chemistry researcher. This happens because in the academic field, mainly in the exact and natural sciences, the idea that knowing a determined subject is enough to be able to teach it, is tacitly accepted. This is, actually, the first condition to be able to be a university professor. There is another necessary condition for competent teaching: to have specific professional knowledege of teaching. I defend that this knowledge can be constitued in the interaction with other professionals in the form of research. Thus, as a chemist constitutes himself through the research in the interaction with other chemists, the teacher develops himself in this professional field in the interaction with other teachers and the permanent attitude of researching.

A formação profissional do técnico em química: caracterização das origens e necessidades atuais

This work reports the situation of technicians employed in chemical industries in Curitiba city, working in chemistry and related fields. The aim of this study is to characterize not only their work conditions, but also their social, economic, professional and educational profiles.

Distance education in neonatal nursing scenarios: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE Identify resources that support learning mediated by technology in the field of neonatal nursing. METHOD Systematic review with searches conducted in MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO. Titles and abstracts were independently evaluated by two experts. RESULTS Of the 2,051 references, 203 full-text articles were analyzed, resulting in the inclusion of nine studies on semiotics and semiology, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, general aspects of neonatal care, diagnostic reasoning and assessment of pain. Only two articles addressed the development of educational strategies and seven papers described the assessment of these strategies by experts and/or users. CONCLUSION Distance education is an important resource for education, and its improvement and updating, and it particularly adds advantages for neonatal nursing by approximating teaching and real-life situations and by minimizing the exposure of newborns for teaching purposes. The lack of educational initiatives mediated by technology suggests the need for the development, evaluation and dissemination of educational resources focused on nursing care of newborns and their families.

What factors of satisfaction and motivation are affecting the development of the academic career in Portuguese higher education institutions?

An important constituent group and a key resource of higher education institutions (HEIs) is the faculty or academic staff. The centrality of the faculty role makes it a primary sculptor of institutional culture and has implications for the quality of the institution and therefore has a major role in achieving the objectives of the institution. Demand for academic staff in higher education has been increasing and may be expected to continue to increase. Moreover the performance of academic staff as teachers and researchers determines much of the student satisfaction and has an impact on student learning. There are many factors that serve to undermine the commitment of academics to their institutions and careers. Job satisfaction is important in revitalizing staff motivation and in keeping their enthusiasm alive. Well motivated academic staff can, with appropriate support, build a national and international reputation for themselves and the institution in the professional areas, in research and in publishing. This paper aims to identify the issues and their impacts on academic staff job satisfaction and motivation within Portuguese higher education institutions reporting an ongoing study financed by the European Union through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

Health education: the role and functions of the specialist and the generalist

Education for health is a process in which all public health and medical care personnel are involved. People learn both formally (planned learning experiences) and informally (unplanned learning experiences). Since the patient, the client, the consummer and the community expect public health and medical care personnel to assist them with health and disease issues and problems, the response of the professional "educates" the customer whether the professional intends to educate or not. Therefore, it is incumbent on all public health and medical care professionals to understand their educational functions and their role in health education. It is also important that the role of the specialist in education be clear. The specialist, as to all other specialists, has an in-depth knowledge of his area of expertise, i.e., the teaching/learning process; s/he may function as a consultant to others to enhance the educational potential of their role or s/he may work with a team or with communities or groups of patients. Specific competencies and knowledge are required of the health education specialist; and there is a body of learning and social change theory which provides a frame of reference for planning, implementing and evaluating educational programs. Working with others to enhance their potential to learn and to make informed decisions about health/disease issues is the hallmark of the health education specialist.

Policies for decentralization and development of health education

How the policy of action and professional standards have influenced the development and decentralization of health education is discussed. It is concluded that a review of policies both of developing as well as of developed countries could help to put some observations into a perspective that is closer to the Brazilian reality.

Professional and community satisfaction with the Brazilian family health strategy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the strengths and limitations of the Family Health Strategy from the perspective of health care professionals and the community. METHODS: Between June-August 2009, in the city of Vespasiano, Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, a questionnaire was used to evaluate the Family Health Strategy (ESF) with 77 healthcare professionals and 293 caregivers of children under five. Health care professional training, community access to health care, communication with patients and delivery of health education and pediatric care were the main points of interest in the evaluation. Logistic regression analysis was used to obtain odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals as well as to assess the statistical significance of the variables studied. RESULTS: The majority of health care professionals reported their program training was insufficient in quantity, content and method of delivery. Caregivers and professionals identified similar weaknesses (services not accessible to the community, lack of healthcare professionals, poor training for professionals) and strengths (community health worker-patient communications, provision of educational information, and pediatric care). Recommendations for improvement included: more doctors and specialists, more and better training, and scheduling improvements. Caregiver satisfaction with the ESF was found to be related to perceived benefits such as community health agent household visits (OR 5.8, 95%CI 2.8;12.1), good professional-patient relationships (OR 4.8, 95%CI 2.5;9.3), and family-focused health (OR 4.1, 95%CI 1.6;10.2); and perceived problems such as lack of personnel (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.2;0.6), difficulty with access (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.1;0.4), and poor quality of care (OR 0.3, 95%CI 0.1;0.6). Overall, 62% of caregivers reported being generally satisfied with the ESF services. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying the limitations and strengths of the Family Health Strategy from the healthcare professional and caregiver perspective may serve to advance primary community healthcare in Brazil.

Professional competencies in primary health care for attending to older adults

Objective To identify and analyze the necessary competencies in primary health care for attending to older adults. Method An exploratory, descriptive, and quali-quantitative study was developed. Three rounds of the Delphi Technique were conducted with participants from primary health care services and a multidisciplinary committee. The first questionnaire asked participants to indicate the competencies needed for attending to older adults in primary health care. They were compiled into a list and added to a Likert Scale (from 1 to 5) for the second and third questionnaires. A consensus criterion of 70% was adopted. Results Twenty eight competencies were reached by consensus and were classified into twelve domains. Conclusion The competencies reflect Brazilian health care policy and constitute a reference for professional health practice and education when caring for the older adult in primary health care.

Development of nursing management competencies: guidelines for continuous education services

Abstract OBJECTIVE Developing continuing education guidelines for the development of nursing management competencies along with the members of the Center of Nursing Continuing Education of Parana. METHOD A qualitative research outlined by the action research method, with a sample consisting of 16 nurses. Data collection was carried out in three stages and data were analyzed according to the thematic analysis technique. RESULTS It was possible to discuss the demands and difficulties in developing nursing management competencies in hospital organizations and to collectively design a guideline. CONCLUSION The action research contributed to the production of knowledge, confirming the need and the importance of changing the educational processes and evaluations, based on methodologies and instruments for professional development in accordance with human resource policies and contemporary organizational policies.

The development and evaluation of a distance learning system in ophthalmology

INTRODUCTION: Web-based e-learning is a teaching tool increasingly used in many medical schools and specialist fields, including ophthalmology. AIMS: this pilot study aimed to develop internet-based course-based clinical cases and to evaluate the effectiveness of this method within a graduate medical education group. METHODS: this was an interventional randomized study. First, a website was built using a distance learning platform. Sixteen first-year ophthalmology residents were then divided into two randomized groups: one experimental group, which was submitted to the intervention (use of the e-learning site) and another control group, which was not submitted to the intervention. The students answered a printed clinical case and their scores were compared. RESULTS: there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: We were able to successfully develop the e-learning site and the respective clinical cases. Despite the fact that there was no statistically significant difference between the access and the non access group, the study was a pioneer in our department, since a clinical case online program had never previously been developed.

Long-term professional performance of minimally invasive surgery post-graduates

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the contribution of a post-graduation program in surgeons professional careers. METHODS: participants were asked to answer a questionnaire with questions related to possible changes in their professional performance after the end of the course. RESULTS: forty-three (76.7%) of the 56 participants eligible for the study responded to the questionnaires. Most participants, 32 (74.4%), had previous contact with laparoscopic surgery; however, only 14 (32.5%) reported the experience as primary surgeon. The expectations on the course were reached or exceeded for 36 (83.7%) participants. Thirty-seven (86%) incorporated minimally invasive procedures in their daily surgical practice, 37 (86%) reported improvements in their income above 10% and 12% reported income increase of over 100%, directly related to their increase of laparoscopic activity. CONCLUSION: the program in minimally invasive surgery provides a high level of satisfaction to its participants, enables them to perform more complex technical procedures, such as sutures, and improves their professional economic performance.