A lacuna da neonatologia na educação de enfermeiros: uma análise nas instituições públicas

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing care for newborns requires specialized technical and scientific skills, given the complexity of the care required at this crucial stage of human development. However, there is a gap in the training of nursing professionals, which may compromise the qualifications needed to provide safe and effective care. Objective: To analyze the inclusion of content related to neonatal nursing care in the Pedagogical Course Projects (PPC) of undergraduate nursing courses offered by Brazilian public institutions, identifying possible curricular deficiencies that mayimpact professional training in the area. Method: Data from the Pedagogical Course Projects of 62 nursing courses from Brazilian public institutions registered in the electronic system of the Ministry of Education (E-mec), offered in person and made publicly available, were used. Results: It was found that 13 (20.96%) Pedagogical Projects analyzed included at least one ter related to neonatology and newborn, present in the title of the mandatory disciplines. In the Southeast Region, four (33.33%) were found, four in the South Region (30.76%) and three in the Northeast Region (25%), and in the Central-West Region, two institutions offer these contents (16.6%), and in the North Region, no university included the mandatory subject of neonatology in the nursing course. Conclusion: It is crucial to highlight that, despite the positive findings, significant weaknesses persist in academic training. Many universities still treat neonatology in a superficial and predominantly theoretical manner, which limits the practical preparation of future nursing professionals. Therefore, it is imperative to reformulate the PPCs to include mandatory subjects that address neonatology comprehensively to ensure that professionals are adequately prepared to meet the complex demands of neonatal care.