Educação no trabalho em saúde: um olhar sobre a participação dos trabalhadores da saúde nas ofertas formativas da Escola de Saúde Pública do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

The formative activities in healthcare consist of educational strategies aimed at healthcare workers, with the goal of encouraging reflections and transformative actions in the workplace through Policies, Programs, Projects, and Actions developed within health services in response to the needs of the population and the epidemiological characteristics of each territory. The present research aimed to analyze the participation of healthcare professionals in the formative activities developed by the School of Public Health of Rio Grande do Norte (ESPRN). This is a descriptive, exploratory, cross-sectional study with both qualitative and quantitative approaches, characterized as evaluative research. Data were collected through questionnaires and interviews from January to March 2024. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively (absolute and relative frequencies) using Google Sheets, while the interviews were analyzed using Content Analysis methodology. It was observed that the majority of workers participating in educational activities are female, aged 30 to 39, with 1 to 5 years of service, holding statutory employment, specializing in their field, and working a 30-hour week. They are motivated by the need to update their knowledge and practices, continue their studies, exchange experiences, improve salaries and adhere to the Career and Salary Plan, meet regulatory requirements, improve service delivery, and achieve personal satisfaction. However, there is a high dropout rate from formative activities due to excessive work hours, lack of time, difficulty balancing work and study, disorganization in the work process, lack of release from work by supervisors, logistical difficulties, and challenges in using information and communication technologies. This study aims to contribute to the development of the State Plan for Continuing Education in Health (PEEPS), a tool that guides the Annual Programming of Continuing Education actions in health services, thereby promoting increased participation and reducing dropout rates in formative activities.