Análise do conhecimento sobre gerenciamento de resíduos de serviços de saúde adquiridos pelos residentes multiprofissionais em saúde

Abstract

According to the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), a continuing education program is mandatory for workers and everyone involved in waste management activities, even if they are workers who work temporarily without a job or even relatives of the sick. That it is important in order to guide, motivate, raise awareness and permanently inform everyone involved about the risks and appropriate waste management procedures, in accordance with the precepts of waste management. This should occur in establishments whose activities involve any stage of health care waste management, be they public and private, philanthropic, civil or military, including those that carry out teaching and research actions. Studies point out that health professionals do not leave their graduations with the necessary or sufficient skills to manage the health-care waste produced because of their care practices. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether this topic is addressed in a Multiprofessional Family Health Residency Program, since residency programs should followprinciples and guidelines of the Unified Health System (SUS), based on local and regional needs and reality. This study is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach. I used the focus group technique for data collection. The sample included eight residents of a Multiprofessional Family Health Residency Programof a public Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Maceió, Alagoas. The residents who participated in the survey were between 24 and 31 years old, on the date of collection, 50% were female and 50% male. Only one of the interviewees had more than one degree, both in the health field, and 37.5% of the residents already had a lato sensu postgraduate course in health. I classified the material resulting from the transcriptions according to sets of Bardin’s analytical categories. As a result, the following thematic categories emerged, in response to the object of study: segregation of Health Services Waste (RSS), classification of RSS and Health Services Waste Management Plan (PGRSS). The importance of including the theme in undergraduate courses in the health and environment areasespecially in Multiprofessionalhealth residency programs, as they focus on in-service education. According to the professionals’ speeches and the topicresearch analysis, it is evident fragility, unpreparedness and/or service preceptors’ lack of mastery regarding to health-care waste management in practice locations and inexistent or insufficient approach of the theme by professors during graduation. We concluded that preceptor’s qualification in Health Higher Education emerges as a great tool for the transformation of health education in the country. That would enable students to develophealth care professionals’essential skills and competencies for an effective participation in the elaboration of a Plan Health Services Waste Management (PGRSS), knowledge of legislation and good practices related to Health Services Waste (RSS). In addition, it would allow the enhancing of their responsibilities with regard to human and animal health, protection of the environment and renewable natural resources, thus motivating the training of professionals aware of their social and environmental responsibilities.