A inserção do agente comunitário de saúde na equipe de Saúde da Família / The insertion of the community health agent in the Family Health team.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

The social relations established between the community health agent (ACS) and the health family team (SF) in work situations was the object of this study. SF has been a strategic priority to reorganize Primary Health Care in Brazil. ACS only became a regulated profession in 2002 and comprises activities of disease prevention and health promotion. Literature appoints that ACS develops actions recommended by the Ministry of Health but faces difficulties in complying with functions with a more political and social character focused on changing peoples self-care and increasing their social participation. These professionals possess hybrid and singular characteristics because they are both members of the community and the health team making linkages between them. The study aimed to understand the social relations established between the ACS and SF team as from the work developed by the health team, highlighting connections between actions and interaction between workers. This is a qualitative study with 23 participant observations and 11 semistructured interviews with the SF team in a city in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The empirical material was analyzed according to the thematic analysis and comprises the history of the health unit and its workers, the teamwork process and the perspective of connection and interaction of the ACS in the SF team. Results revealed that ACS is inserted in a dynamic teamwork process, that is, experiences the contradictions of co-existing different health models. These professionals work as links when they develop actions connected to the teamwork and interact with its workers developing common care plans. The ACS core of competency is characterized by the connection they establish approximating team and community and adapting care actions to peoples real needs. When these professionals talk about themselves during communication with workers, they talk about the community itself because they are its representatives and spokesman in the team. As links, they basically develop operational actions to speed up the team and units work such as delivering messages and referrals. The activities developed inside the unit are related to cooperation and are also very associated to operational and instrumental work, which includes a certain exchange. The conclusion is that the inclusion of the ACS in the SF team is difficult and requires strategies favoring the dialogical relation between workers. This way, the teamwork and the ACS political and social dimensions can be strengthened, contributing to more integral and welcoming care and also to more creative and gratifying work in health.

ASSUNTO(S)

atenção primária à saúde. programa saúde da família. equipe de assistência ao paciente. auxiliares d primary health care. family health program. patient care team. community health aides. community hea

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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