Estratégias para uma comunicação efetiva na atenção obstétrica

Abstract

In 2005, Word Health Organization (WHO) established a commission, which set six goals to improve patient safety, including effective communication in healthcare. Today, patient safety is recognized nationally and internationally. The aim of this narrative review is to identify the strategies adopted in order to improve the effective communication during obstetric care, which might be adopted by the healthcare team, especially the technical and interpersonal aspects. To this objective, 28 works, which fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were analyzed, out of the 37 found through eletronic resources, such as Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS), Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SCIELO) and Literatura LatinoAmericana e do Caribe de Informação em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), among national and international articles published from 1998 to 2013, and also books and a guide. The main strategies identified were: working in teams, systematizing shiftwork, going through an oral checklist, favoring the interaction between patient and family, and giving assistance to the parturient. The communication process is relevant; it may change behaviors and reinforce positive attitudes to the healthcare safety. However, if there is not the recognition from professionals and institutions of the importance of effective communication in healthcare, the errors made due to ineffective communication will continue occurring, bringing risks to the patient safety and to the quality in healthcare.