TEACHING INTERNSHIP IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING: EXPERIENCE REPORT

Abstract

The text reports on the experience of a master's student in the Graduate Program in Nursing (PPGEnf) at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG). The aim of this study is to demonstrate the importance of a teaching internship in a face-to-face format, acting as an activity that connects postgraduate students more intensely to teaching practice at higher education level. The proposal is to foster a debate on the implementation and relevance of the Teaching Internship as an essential part of the curricula in postgraduate programs, specifically in the academic master's degree. In the practical field of the internship, the master's student followed the reception given by the students (in pairs), as well as their approach strategies. During the correction of the report, the difficulty in making the theoretical-practical association was noticeable, so, in agreement with the advisor, I made a descriptive and explanatory daily report of the practice which was printed out as a model for discussion, which after the discussions and clarifications were delivered as support material. This initiative led to greater understanding and interest on the part of the students, who became more participative, active, questioning and committed to the development of the activities. These actions were based on action-reflection-action as a strategy to give meaning to the initiation into teaching practice. Through this experience, it became clear that it is up to the teacher to look for teaching methods that encourage students, making them interested in the topics covered and recognizing the relevance of their application in professional practice. In this scenario, we highlight the fundamental role of the supervising teacher, whose vast experience and qualifications in didactics and mental health nursing guided the discussions on teaching and the factors that favor learning, constantly emphasizing the importance of the involvement of both students and teachers throughout the educational process.