Participation of Nursing Students in Evidence-Based Practice Projects: Results of Two Focus Groups

The development of true evidence-based practice requires that practitioners have the knowledge and skills to research, analyze, and use evidence. These skills must be acquired in pre-graduate training. The objective of the present study was to analyze the contributions of students’ participation in knowledge translation projects to clinical practice for evidence-based learning. This was a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory study that used focus groups. Scripted interviews were administered. The design of the study included five phases and took place in the partnering institutions of the Safety Transition Project, involving fifteen participants. The study was authorized by the Research Ethics Committee. The data were analyzed following the steps encoding the categories, storage and recovery, and (3) interpretation and using computer software (WebQDA^®, Ludomédia, Aveiro, Portugal). Four categories were identified: learning evidence; communicating science; evidence-based practice; and developing skills. The successful implementation of evidence-based practice education resulted in students who understand its importance and use it competently. Further research should explore the skills developed by nurses involved in similar projects and their contribution to an EBP culture.

From Evidence Synthesis to Transfer: Results from a Qualitative Case Study with the Perspectives of Participants

The increase in health research brings challenges to the production, synthesis, and use of research findings in clinical practice. In the case of undergraduate training in nursing, it is necessary to think about the curricular contents and create opportunities to develop skills for learning evidence-based practice. The objective of this study was to analyze nurses’ perspectives regarding the effects of their participation in a project of translation of knowledge into clinical practice during undergraduate nursing education, specifically involving knowledge, attitudes, and competencies related to the use of evidence. This is a qualitative case study grounded in the knowledge-to-action theoretical framework. The participants were 13 nurses who were involved in a project about the translation of knowledge into clinical practice during the last term of their undergraduate course. The data were collected by applying interviews between December 2020 and April 2021. Content analysis was carried out by using the qualitative data analysis software tool webQDA^®. The following categories emerged from the content analysis carried out on the material gathered during the interviews: understanding evidence; learning how to use evidence; transferring evidence; adjusting to the context; and observing the advantages of evidence-based practice. Extracurricular activities were perceived as an opportunity to understand what evidence is and observe in loco the advantages of health care for clients, teams, and services. During the project, the participants developed cross-sectional competencies and envisaged changes to their professional activity as a result of changes in their attitude regarding evidence and its use. We concluded that the opportunity to develop evidence-related activities allows for the development of skills and influences the attitude towards evidence-based practice and knowledge use.

Learning to use evidence at nursing undergraduation: a contribution to collective health

Abstract There is universal agreement that health professionals have not implementing evidence-based practice as would be desirable and recommended by science and international institutions with responsibility for the guidelines issued for health contexts. This focus group with eight participants aimed to understand the perspective of students from the undergraduate nursing course on their involvement in a project of knowledge transfer to the clinic. Qualitative analysis followed the coding steps; storage/retrieval and interpretation of the findings and it was carried out by using a software for qualitative data analysis. This study is authorized by an Ethics Committee and respected the principles inherent to the investigation. The four categories that emerged from the content analysis were: Belonging, Using Evidence, Improving Care and Developing Competencies. The analysis of categories, subcategories and verbatim transcripts allowed us to conclude that participation in transference projects for clinics, according to the students, generates learning opportunities about the implementation and communication of evidence, facilitates integration in the service, participation, collaborative work and the development of transversal skills.

Learning to use evidence at nursing undergraduation: a contribution to collective health

There is universal agreement that health professionals have not implementing evidence-based practice as would be desirable and recommended by science and international institutions with responsibility for the guidelines issued for health contexts. This focus group with eight participants aimed to understand the perspective of students from the undergraduate nursing course on their involvement in a project of knowledge transfer to the clinic. Qualitative analysis followed the coding steps; storage/retrieval and interpretation of the findings and it was carried out by using a software for qualitative data analysis. This study is authorized by an Ethics Committee and respected the principles inherent to the investigation. The four categories that emerged from the content analysis were: Belonging, Using Evidence, Improving Care and Developing Competencies. The analysis of categories, subcategories and verbatim transcripts allowed us to conclude that participation in transference projects for clinics, according to the students, generates learning opportunities about the implementation and communication of evidence, facilitates integration in the service, participation, collaborative work and the development of transversal skills.

Professional Training in Integrative and Complementary Practices: the meanings attributed by Primary Health Care workers

OBJECTIVE

To understand the meanings attributed by Primary Health Care workers to the professional training process in Integrative and Complementary Practices.

METHOD

Descriptive, exploratory study with a qualitative approach, carried out with 20 professionals from 14 health units in three municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, transcribed and analyzed using the thematic content analysis.

RESULTS

Based on the analysis, the thematic category about training trajectories in Integrative and Complementary Practices emerged. It discusses that the training takes place through training provided by federal and municipal management or professional councils, via distance, semi-presential learning or in-person training. Furthermore, training courses are held at private educational institutions funded by the professionals themselves. Additionally, informal sources of information are used to obtain knowledge (internet, books and magazines).

CONCLUSION

The results show, on the one hand, insufficient and diffuse training, with limited supply and quality and, on the other hand, the need to increase educational strategies to improve the training of health professionals aiming at providing different Integrative and Complementary Practices in the Primary Health Care.

Práticas Integrativas e Complementares na Atenção Primária à Saúde: Percepções dos Gestores dos Serviços

RESUMO Objetivo Compreender os sentidos atribuídos pelos gestores dos Serviços da Região Metropolitana de Goiânia sobre a oferta de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares (PIC) na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Método Estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado entre agosto e dezembro de 2017, com 21 gestores, mediante utilização de entrevistas semiestruturadas que foram gravadas, transcritas e analisadas com a técnica de análise de conteúdo temática. Resultados Os entrevistados demonstraram compreender o contexto em que as PIC estão inseridas, embora tenham apresentado dificuldades e insegurança na sua conceituação. Dos resultados emergiram três categorias, quais sejam: PIC para gestores; aspectos positivos e negativos da oferta das PIC para a equipe de saúde; aspectos positivos e negativos da disponibilização das PIC para os usuários dos serviços. Conclusão e implicações para a prática Conclui-se que há forte influência do modelo biomédico em detrimento da integralidade na organização dos serviços de APS, o que implica com a baixa e descontínua oferta das PIC na Região Metropolitana de Goiânia. Esta conclusão convida para a ampliação dos espaços de reflexão sobre a pluralidade de racionalidades de cuidado no Sistema Único de Saúde.

Chikungunya surveillance in Brazil: challenges in the context of Public Health

OBJECTIVE

to describe the challenges in implementing the chikungunya surveillance and prevention system in Brazil.

METHODS

this was a descriptive study of suspected cases of the disease based on records held on the Notifiable Diseases Information System (Sinan) for the period 2014-2016.

RESULTS

more than 100,000 probable chikungunya cases were notified in Brazil in this period, with the largest concentration in the Northeast states (83.3% between 2014 and 2015; 91.0% in 2016); Sinan provided an excellent opportunity for closing records of cases occurring between 2014 and 2015 (85%) and high completeness of obligatory variables.

CONCLUSION

given the imminence of the introduction of chikungunya in Brazil in 2014, advance public health preparation took place in order to minimize its effects on society; implementation of the surveillance system improved collection of information regarding the disease, however many challenges can be seen in practice, in view of increasing case incidence. This requires greater handling capacity in this sector.

Control of dengue: Consensus views of Endemic Disease Control Agents and Community Health Agents on their integrated action

Dengue is one of Brazil's most important public health challenges. Activities for its prevention and control have been based on the strategy of integrated management proposed in health policies, in which the central actors are the Endemic Disease Control Agent(ACE) and the Community Health Agent (ACS). This study analyzes consensus opinions produced by ACSs and ACEs on theactions for incorporating ACEs into the teams of the Family Health Strategy (ESF). It is a qualitative study from a large municipality in Brazil in which dengue is endemic, using a focus group of professionals that is subsequently analyzed using Collective Subject Discourse Analysis, supported by WebQDA. The results indicate consensus positions in relation to the following subjects: I) difficulty in the process of integration of ACSs and ACEs for control of dengue; II) inclusion of ACEs in the primary healthcare of the ESF; and III) absence of monitoring and assessment of the integrated actions. In conclusion, there are needs: to make participants more aware, seeking changes in behavior; to offer an environment of support to those involved with training courses about dengue; and to monitor the process of integration, and evaluate it periodically, creating indicators of quality and quantity.

Perceptions of representatives of a committee against dengue in the health education actions, Goiás, Brazil

This study aimed to analyze how the educational actions of prevention and control of dengue are performed in Goiás, from the perspective of representatives of the State Mobilization Committee against Dengue. It is a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, carried out in Goiânia with 43 representatives of public-private institutions, members of the State Mobilization Committee against Dengue of Goiás, in 2013. The data collection was done through questioning about the perception of health education for dengue prevention. Data were analyzed using content analysis and the WebQDA software. Three dimensions emerged from the analysis: educational aspects, management aspects, and community involvement. Respondents recognized the importance of health education for the prevention of dengue, and of the planning to strengthen the activities of the Committee.