MadAlegria: the value of humanization strategies in the training of health professionals

Abstract

The MadAlegria is a university extension project of the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, developed with the purpose of improving the ability of its volunteers to create a better professional-patient relationship and improving healthcare practices. The MadAlegria aims to soften the hospital and other health care practice settings, promoting multidisciplinary team work and sensitize students to the importance of humanizing the relationship between health professionals and patients, and encouraging active citizenship through playful features such as clown and storyteller in hospital. The project was initiated in 2010 and since 2011, were formed 134 Clowns in hospital and 35 Storytellers. With five years of existence, the project has evolved beyond the healthcare students, students from other courses at USP, teachers, other health professionals and system users. The Mission, Vision, Values and Statute of MadAlegria were settled. The weekly interventions were held in ICESP and were increased with attendance at the Hospital das Clínicas, where MadAlegria is part of Rede Humaniza FMUSPHC. The maintenance of volunteer work by graduate student on the project has been a great challenge. The experience in a university extension project as MadAlegria is enthusiastic and there are reports of students who demonstrate that this experience influences the professional profile, making it more humanized care for the other.