Mental health in primary care: possibilities and weaknesses in reception

Abstract

Introduction: It is fundamental to receive people undergoing psychic suffering for their inclusion and permanence in the territorial base services. Thus, the objective is to identify - from a nursing view - the potentialities and limitations of the reception strategy oriented to respond to mental care demands in Primary Care in a municipality of the Northeast region of Brazil. Materials and Methods: A descriptive and analytical study with a qualitative approach was conducted through interviews with a semi-structured script to a sample of 20 nurses working in Primary Care. During research, standards of the resolution 466/2012 were followed. Approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee under resolution 2,065,085 of May 16, 2017. Results: Based on the material analysis, three categories were created: Understanding of reception strategy; potential of the bond in the reception of mental health demands; challenges for the implementation of Mental Health reception in Primary Care. Discussion: Reception becomes potent and doable when instrumented by mild technologies such as humanization, empathy, active listening of users and care co-responsibility. However, there are limitations in this process due to the lack of preparation of professionals to deal with social problems of the community, weakened bonds of families, and fragility of the Psychosocial Care Network. Conclusions: As strategies to deal with the above, it is suggested to have a dialog among the services of the mental health network through a municipal flow diagram, permanent training of professionals who provide these services, and qualified support from the Extended Core in Family Health at Primary Health Care Units.