Educational action in prenatal care: a reflection on nursing consultation as an opportunity for health education

In the search for new ways to better reflect on the nursing appointments as an opportunity for prenatal health education, we performed a reflexive study with a qualitative evaluation in which subject participation was a predominant factor. To this end, we used a new paradigm as a methodological reference - the emancipative evaluation that oriented this research and described reality. Besides non-participative observation, we used the interviews with the five nurses who work at the outpatient ward of the University Hospital - chosen site for the research - for data collection. In light of the results found, the educational action accomplished by the nurse during prenatal consultation is characterized as a routine action, with little participation, mainly informative, in spite of the good intention to educate, during which issues regarding the Institution's care, structural and organizational models emerged as obstacles for the accomplishment of education in health as a liberating, transforming and critical-social trend. The research points toward reorienting nursing prenatal care, creating an appropriate physical environment for the nursing consultation and participation of pregnant women in groups.

Nursing consultation; Prenatal; Education in health