Protocolo de comunicação: para profissionais de saúde que atuam no ambulatório de cirurgia e traumatologia bucomaxilo facial do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal do Maranhão

Abstract

The research investigates communicative practices at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology Outpatient Clinic (CTBMF) of UFMA’s University Hospital, Presidente Dutra unit, in São Luís, Maranhão, proposing the development of a protocol of best communication practices aimed at health professionals working in this service. The main objective is to develop a protocol to guide healthcare professionals on the adoption of clear, accessible and humanized communication strategies with patients undergoing treatment for facial trauma. The specific objectives were to analyze the communication process in the CTBMF outpatient clinic, identify obstacles in communicative interaction and produce a guidance material in printed and digital formats for professionals working at the CTBMF outpatient clinic. The study adopts a qualitative and exploratory approach, based on simple observations of the empirical context and semi-structured interviews, which served as the basis for the investigation. Data were recorded in a field diary and through interview transcriptions to be later organized into thematic categories, analyzed in the light of the theoretical framework. The use of graphs was purely illustrative, without altering the qualitative nature of the research. Data collection in empirical field took place between May and July, 2025, and was methodologically based on Lakatos and Marconi (2018), Lopes (2018), Gil (2008), Andrade (2020) and Renó (2024). The theoretical framework included Lopes (2004), Araújo and Cardoso (2007), França and Simões (2016), Stevanim and Murtinho (2021), whose works discuss communication and health. As a result, a protocol of best communication practices was developed and organized in categories like reception, complex information communication, management of expectations and standardization of procedures. The product shows potential for replication in other CTMBF outpatient clinic contexts, contributing to more humanized care, patient safety and more effective communication in healthcare.