Family health strategy in primary health actions for systemic arterial hypertension patients

Abstract

The Family Health Strategy (FHS) is based on health surveillance, containing the characteristics of both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary actions. This program also operates in specific population groups, such as those with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). This qualitative research aims to enhance the primary health care actions for patients with SAH, reported by the family healthcare team, highlighting the interventions developed by nurses. This is a descriptive study of the actions performed by nursing professionals within the FHS and was conducted with six members of the FHS from a city in the countryside of the state of São Paulo. The doctor emphasizes his role within the program and characterizes the work of the nurse's aide and of the nurse herself as "help" in receiving the patient. Community health agents value the home visit, where they can do their "promotion". The team recognizes that nurses perform a wide range of activities in the clinic and that they know the program as a whole, but they are overburdened with administrative issues. Health education for the prevention of SAH is still in its initial stages. Among the identified activities, priority is given to those that are strictly geared toward a cure, with parameter controls, as set forth in the SAH protocol, in which there is still no clear view on the part of the team members concerning the work processes necessary to ensure the integrity of actions. It can therefore be concluded that the nurses' role in the FHS faces difficulties and challenges, especially as regards their activities, distribution of responsibilities, working conditions, and interdisciplinary relations.