[Psychiatric reform in Brazil: contextualization and thoughts about the care for the mentally ill in the family]. / A reforma psiquiátrica no Brasil: contextualização e reflexos sobre o cuidado com o doente mental na família.

This work analyzes the consequences of the Brazilian psychiatric reform to the care provided to the mentally ill in their family environment. It is a descriptive and exploratory study based on a qualitative approach, using the historical-dialectic materialism as its theoretical and methodological framework. The subjects of the research were 11 women that provided care to mentally ill persons. The analysis of their discourses revealed unique aspects related to caring for the mentally ill in their family environment and the difficulties resulting from the process of institutionalization of the mentally ill. The conclusion is that women who provide care for the mentally ill have an important social role that is indispensable to the consolidation of the psychiatric reform in the country.

[The home caregiver in Betim/MG]. / O ser cuidador na Internação Domiciliar em Betim/MG.

This is a qualitative study about the care provided by "caregivers" enrolled in the Home Care Program in Betim, Minas Gerais. Interviews were held during home visits in order to identify characteristics of home care providers, analyze their perception about health care, verify factors which interfere in home care and relationships which are established between caregiver/person cared for/other family members. Discourse analysis (Fiorin, 1993) was used to build the empirical categories which revealed that most of the caregivers are family members, women, average age of 42 years, limited schooling, mostly housewives. The subjects sampled reported that the act of caring involves technique, duty and dedication. They referred to financial difficulties, physical and emotional stress. The relationships established during care involved feelings of pleasure, satisfaction and helplessness in the face of the needs and sufferings of the person cared for. The authors concluded that home care fosters more humane care, but requires technical guidance and emotional training for the caregivers and support from the health institution.

[Innovative initiative in nursing teaching in Latin America]. / Iniciativa de inovação do ensino de enfermagem na América Latina.

The study describes a set of nine projects which are initiatives in the innovation of the teaching twelve country of Nursing in Latin America. It discusses the purpose of these projects so as to incorporate pedagogical concepts which are critical and provoke reflection, and active methods of teaching and analysis of conceptual aspects, the management, strategies and models which are adopted. It describes the common features of the courses in the semi-present and distance forms and analyzes the teaching methods which focus on the teacher-student relation, as strengthening group and independent learning, as well as the use of adequate teaching materials. It also analyzes the communication system established by the projects, which seeks to strengthen horizontal relations, incorporating technology and distance education. It concludes by suggesting that this initiative is a suitable strategy to contribute to build new models for training nursing personnel.