A formação pedagógica na atuação do docente de enfermagem

Abstract

This investigation originated in a feeling of uneasiness of the author, herself lecturing in the area of nursing, concerning the pedagogic formation in the preparation and teaching activity of the nurse as teacher. Numerous nurses are dedicating themselves to teaching because of the fast expansion of the universities in Brazil, specially the private ones. The present investigation aimed at identifying the perceptions of nurses that have been active as teachers for at least four years and verify if they received during their academic formation the necessary subsidies to become instructors. Besides the bibliographic revision a questionnaire was submitted to nurses active as teachers at one public and one private university in the State of São Paulo. The results revealed that the nurses had been correctly prepared in conformity with the present legislation to act as a social educator in health issues, but on the other side there exists a big gap concerning the pedagogic preparedness for those who dedicate themselves to the teaching. They recognize that the absence of specific preparation to become a teacher or instructor causes some difficulties in the classroom setting and they realize that the pedagogic formation is an important condition in order to exercise a really competent teaching activity. Continuing education with emphasis on pedagogic aspects is proposed as an element that can possibly capacitate nurses for the teaching activities helping to ally the specific knowledge to the pedagogic knowledge. This would be a means to improve the quality of the teaching of nursing and in turn of the higher education in Brazil as a whole.