ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify perceptions of teamwork according to the professionals of an Adult Intensive Care Unit. Methods: descriptive research with qualitative approach. The methodological framework was thematic content analysis. The theoretical framework of the work process was used to guide the interpretation of the data. Data collection: A semi-structured interview was conducted with 38 professionals in a public teaching hospital in the state of Minas Gerais. Results: three thematic categories emerged from the interviews: Work Organization, which is related to work performed through tasks/routines, with or without coordinated actions; Non-material Work Instruments, which reveal that teamwork is based on communication/collaboration; Insufficient Material Resources, which indicate that lack of material creates conflicts between professionals. Conclusions: Teamwork requires effective communication and collaboration, integrated work and appropriate professional training. On the other hand, fragmentation and rigidity at work, poor collaboration/communication and lack of material make teamwork difficult. We emphasize the need to revise the curriculum of health courses, with a view to including and/or improving discussions about teamwork in order to train professionals for a more integrated and perhaps even sympathetic health practice.

Background: Domestic pigeons carry pathogens in their droppings, posing a potential public health problem. Methods:The phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistances of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium in the feces of urban pigeons near hospitals with intensive care units were measured.Results: Twenty-nine samples showed Enterococcus growth, whereas one was positive for S. aureus. The S. aureus isolate was sensitive to the antibiotics tested via antibiogram, however resistance genes were identified. E. faecium isolates showed phenotypic resistance to gentamicin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin.Conclusions: Antimicrobial profiles harmful to health were demonstrated in bacterial pathogens isolated from the external environment of hospitals.

Acinetobacter baumannii is widely recognized in clinical environments due to its infectious capacity, antimicrobial adaptability, and lethality. Analyzing the prevalence of this agent in intra- and extra-hospital environments may reveal target indicators for appropriate management interventions. In this observational cross-sectional study, we evaluated the prevalence of A. baumannii within hospitals with intensive care units and in their external surroundings in a macro-health region of Brazil. Samples of Columba livia (pigeon) droppings from the external environment of four hospitals (n = 40), from floor surfaces (n = 20), and door handles (n = 20) of different hospital wards were collected based on random sampling, all of which were evaluated for the presence of A. baumannii using polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The sensitivity and specificity of the technique was verified after the collected samples were contaminated with clinical samples positive for A. baumannii. We detected a significantly higher A. baumannii prevalence (87.50%, CI = 71.29–100.00) in samples collected within the hospital environment compared with those obtained from the external environment (12.50%, CI = 0.00–28. 71) (p = 0.003). In addition, samples collected from floor surfaces contained bacterial densities (181.3 ± 11.58) that exceeded those in environmental (93.32 ± 1.56) and door handle (142.70 ± 17.14) samples by 94% and 78.71%, respectively. The findings of this study will enhance our understanding of the spatial distribution of A. baumannii and additionally, validate the efficiency of PCR for diagnosis of this infectious agent.