Virtue ethics in family health team's practice

Abstract

Objective: To understand Family Health team's practice from the perspective of virtue ethics. Methods: A single case study of a qualitative approach, conducted between January and July 2019 in Family Health Strategies in a municipality in the countryside of Minas Gerais. Participants were physicians, nurses, nursing technicians and community health workers, totaling 35 professionals from Family Health Strategy teams. Data were collected through interviews and observation and analyzed through content analysis, with the help of atlas.ti software. Results: Family Health team's practice is developed by care centered on users, in the search to meet their objective and subjective needs. However, there are obstacles that pass through the interface between legality/ bureaucracy (bureaucratic ethos) regarding compliance with standards recommended for service organization and operation and professional ethos related to professionals' commitment to people. Conclusion: Family Health team's practice from the perspective of virtue ethics allows us to recognize that professional and patient are moral agents who are guided by values and virtues in the search for the internal good of their lives and practice.