Collaborative competencies in gerontology: perspective of health undergraduate students

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The discussion about the curriculum of health area courses becomes relevant for the proposal of educational strategies that promote the development of collaborative skills. This situation will enable a change in the culture of health care, especially for the demands of the older adults. Objective: To assess the collaborative skills acquired by undergraduate students attending the Gerontology discipline. Method: This is a qualitative study, carried out with students from the Nursing, Medicine, and Nutrition courses of a public university, who took an optional course with an interprofessional focus in 2019. Data collection included the conduction of a focus group and the application of a semi structured interview. The data were analyzed using the Content Analysis technique. Results: Nine students were evaluated, and they reported the development of collaborative skills, such as teamwork, effective communication, and the planning of comprehensive care for the older adults. Conclusion: The individualized expressions of the students participating in this study make us believe that interprofessional learning qualifies as an opportunity to develop collaborative skills.

Keywords

• Interprofessional Relations
• Learning
• Interdisciplinary Communication
• Higher Education