Professional training for ethical and comprehensive care of patients living with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Introduction: Caring for people living with HIV is complex and requires ethical and skilled professionals able to offer humanized and comprehensive care at the different levels of the health system. Objective: Determine whether the academic training of health professionals at a university in Northeastern Brazil develops the skills and competencies to care for people living with HIV. Methodology: This is a qualitative study, conducted in two stages: (1) documental analysis of curricular methods, contents and activities performed in Nursing, Medicine and Dentistry courses and (2) focus groups composed of undergraduates and professors from the three courses. Data analysis was conducted according to Bardin. Results: Documental analysis identified few curricular components in the three courses specifically related to HIV. Focus group analysis showed that the issue is superficially and sporadically addressed, with few hours spent on the subject and methodologies that do not satisfactorily develop the skills and competencies required to care for HIVinfected patients. Conclusion: The current training model for health professionals is limited to technical-scientific knowledge of HIV/AIDS, with little practical experience.

“A gente vive em cima da corda bamba”: experiência de profissionais da saúde que trabalham com o HIV/aids em uma área remota do Nordeste brasileiro

“…Tais dificuldades também apontam para fragilidades no ensino de graduação. Estudo evidenciou que os componentes curriculares desses cursos não permitem ao estudante desenvolver competências e habilidades necessárias para cuidar de PVHA 20 . Na análise deste estudo, essa invisibilização do HIV/ aids na formação em saúde faz parte de um cenário maior caracterizado pela restrição contemporânea dos discursos sobre a doença em diversos setores sociais e culturais brasileiros 21 .…”