INTERPROFESSIONAL WORK: MEANINGS ATTRIBUTED BY RESIDENTS AND PRECEPTORS OF THE MULTIPROFESSIONAL RESIDENCY IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH AT A PUBLIC HOSPITAL IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL
Interprofessional Education; Preceptorship; Multiprofessional Health Residency; Interprofessional Work.
Introduction: Health education faces the challenge of overcoming fragmented and hierarchical models to meet the complex demands of comprehensive care. In this scenario, interprofessional education and work are fundamental strategies to improve care and strengthen the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) by promoting integration among different professionals. Objective: To understand the meanings attributed to interprofessional work by residents and preceptors of the Multiprofessional Residency in Maternal and Child Health at a public hospital in Northeast Brazil. Method: This is a qualitative, descriptive study conducted at the Dr. Mariano Coelho Regional Hospital in Currais Novos/RN, with the participation of ten residents and six preceptors from diverse professions. Data collection took place between April and May 2024, using a sociodemographic questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis followed Bardin's Thematic Content Analysis, with the support of IRaMuTeQ software for lexicographical analysis and SPSS for descriptive statistical treatment. Results: The results showed that interprofessional work still faces significant barriers, especially related to the hierarchical organization of knowledge, the centralization of decisions in the biomedical model, limited communication, and the fragility of integration between professional categories. Although collaborative experiences exist, multiprofessional practice predominates, characterized by parallel and poorly articulated actions. Communication, the valuing of different expertise, integrated knowledge management, and the strengthening of preceptorship were identified as central elements for the consolidation of interprofessional work. The Multiprofessional Residency was recognized as a privileged space for the development of collaborative skills; however, its effectiveness depends on institutional, pedagogical, and cultural conditions that favor dialogue, co-responsibility, and shared learning. Integrated knowledge management proved essential for improving the quality of care and patient safety, by enabling the systematic circulation of knowledge between residents and teams. Final Considerations: Strengthening interprofessional education, preceptorship, and institutional policies that encourage collaboration are fundamental to reconfiguring care practices and training processes in health. In this way, interprofessional work with integrated, effective, and user-centered practices can contribute to improving the quality of care within the Brazilian SUS. A Technical-Scientific Report was produced as a result of this dissertation and will be made available to the service.