PERCEPTION OF PROFESSIONALS OF A PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL OF JOÃO PESSOA, PB, ON USER EMBRACEMENT

Abstract

Introduction: User embracement is a practice undertaken by all health professionals as an approach to shorten bonds, provide comprehensive care, and see the people in a more accurate and sensitive way. In emergency services, there is a large demand from users seeking care, which makes it necessary to perform a multidisciplinary action at first contact and qualified care during the whole period of assistance at the institution. Objective: This study investigated the workers’ perception on embracement performed in Valentina Municipal Hospital, in João Pessoa, PB. Results: Professionals from several sectors of the institution were interviewed and, from the survey and thematic content analysis proposed by Bardin, two main categories emerged: Understanding and practicing of embracement and difficulties found in the practice of embracement. Although they understand embracement as it is proposed by the Health Ministry, their practices are not consistent with such a perspective. They limit embracement to risk rating and point to several difficulties for its implementation, such as: lack of interdisciplinary team work, absence of adequate physical space and low adherence of the population to the new organization of the service, in addition to the technical weakness of professionals. Conclusion: Thus, embracement performed in this institution presents challenges that require different institutional initiatives involving managers, workers and users, in order to provide a high quality assistance. DESCRIPTORS Embracement. Risk. Humanization of Assistance.