Themes and time use by participants in general team meetings at a psychiatric day hospital

• Published in: Revista latino-americana de enfermagem Vol. 15; no. 5; pp. 949 - 957
• Main Authors: Scherer, Edson Arthur, Campos, Maria Auxiliadora, Scherer, Zeyne Alves Pires
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo 01-09-2007
• Subjects: Ambulatory Care - organization & administration; Brazil; Day Care, Medical - organization & administration; Hospitals, Psychiatric - organization & administration; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Mental Disorders - rehabilitation; NURSING; Patient Care Team; Sociology, Medical; Time Factors; Time Management; Brazil; patient care team; psiquiatría; assistência diurna; grupo de atención al paciente; equipe de assistência ao paciente; saúde mental; mental health; day care; psychiatry; salud mental; psiquiatria; cuidados diurnos
• ISSN: 0104-1169; 1518-8345; 0104-1169
• DOI: 10.1590/S0104-11692007000500011

This naturalistic study was realized through observation and aimed to characterize general staff meetings held at a day hospital regarding theme and the professionals' participation in the use of time. We observed 21 meetings, during which 144 announcements were made and 46 issues were discussed, with greater participation in discussions by fixed team members. In 18 of these meetings, the discussed themes corresponded to daily situations registered during the weeks preceding the meetings. Our findings reveal that these meetings are inserted in the service on a regular basis. Power relations and differences in experience and technical knowledge between the different professionals seem to contribute to the higher or lower number of announcements and issues presented. As this space favors exchanges, we suggest these meetings to be used in other health services working with assistance teams.