Diagnosis of interprofessional medical care at the Hospital General Docente Dr. Agostinho Neto

Abstract

Introduction: Interprofessional healthcare is a key strategy for improving the quality of care and comprehensive training in the Health Sciences. In Cuba, the integration of medical and nursing students, residents, specialists, and faculty needs to be evaluated to promote its development.

Objective: to characterize the current state of interprofessional healthcare competence among medical and nursing professionals and students at the Hospital General Docente Dr. Agostinho Neto in Guantánamo Province, Cuba.

Method: an observational, cross-sectional, and mixed-methods study was conducted between March 2023 and March 2024. The study population consisted of students (levels 1 and 2), nursing residents and graduates (level 3), medical and nursing specialists (level 4), and faculty (level 5). Instruments used: participant observation, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Six competency domains were evaluated: communication, collaborative practice, teamwork, role clarification, emotional intelligence, and a socio-humanistic approach. Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and trend analysis were used to compare groups.

Results: Nursing students showed higher scores than medical students in relational and humanistic domains at all levels, especially in role clarification and the socio-humanistic approach. A modest improvement in competencies was observed with the level of training. Qualitative triangulation identified institutional tensions, a lack of co-teaching, cultural resistance, and structural barriers.

Conclusions: interprofessional healthcare shows slow educational development, with strengths in nursing and gaps in role clarification. Intentional training and institutional policies are required to consolidate interprofessional healthcare.