This paper presents the experience of applying a qualitative survey method that offers an understanding of the educational healthcare practices developed by a healthcare group working at a teaching out-patient clinic. This method also led the survey subjects through an educational process based on critical thinking about the findings of the survey. This experiment was conducted with nineteen healthcare practitioners at the Tubarão Integrated HealthCare Unit in Santa Catarina State. The survey was carried out in four phases. Phase 1: initial interaction with the participants in the study (listening and dialog) for the first data collection phase. Phase 2: private time for the researcher to think creatively as a first step in the process of analyzing, considering, and summarizing the data. Phase 3: collective interaction and reflective dialog with the healthcare group, discussing the situations encountered and exploring emerging topics. Phase 4: private time for the researcher to analyze, consider and summarize all data. This educational practice with the healthcare group resulted in the appearance of the topic: "The need and the will to transcend to the client's context and the (im)possibilities of breaking away from current patterns of healthcare practices", prompting suggestions for strategic changes in the Unit.
Qualitative survey; Research and education; Out-patient clinic healthcare group