A competência normativa frente aos novos atores políticos: um estudo de caso da telemedicina / The normative competence in the face of new political actors: a case study of telemedicine

Resumo A regulação da prática de telemedicina no Brasil tem se mostrado tortuosa desde seu reconhecimento pela Resolução nº 1.643/2002, do Conselho Federal de Medicina (CFM), havendo questionamentos quanto à competência deste para inserção da prática. Em 2018, o conselho editou nova resolução, mas que foi revogada em função da repercussão negativa. A pandemia de covid-19 pressionou os serviços de saúde de tal forma que o Poder Legislativo Federal foi impelido ao conflito e editou a Lei nº 13.989/2020, permitindo a prática de telemedicina durante o período da crise sanitária. O art. 6º da lei delegou ao CFM a competência para regulação da prática pós-pandemia, acirrando ainda mais as discussões. Este trabalho constitui um estudo de caso sobre a regulação da telemedicina no Brasil, buscando identificar os conflitos jurídicos impostos pela atuação do CFM em substituição ao Poder Legislativo. Utiliza o modelo político de implementação de políticas públicas de William Clune como base da análise, empregando o método da pesquisa documental qualitativa. Conclui-se que a implementação da telemedicina deve considerar as forças políticas em atuação, compreendendo o papel do CFM no processo normativo, para que se obtenha, no texto legal, uma política pública compatível com a realidade e apta a ser implementada.

Abstract The regulation of telemedicine in Brazil has been tortuous since its recognition by the Resolution No. 1,643/2002, of the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM), with issues regarding its competence to insert this practice. In 2018, the council issued a new resolution but it was revoked due to negative repercussions. The covid-19 pandemic put pressure on health services in such a way that the National Congress was pushed into conflict and enacted the Federal Law No. 13,989/2020, which allowed the practice of telemedicine during the period of health crisis. The article 6 of the law delegated the competence to regulate the post-pandemic practice to the CFM, further intensifying the discussions. This work is a case study on the regulation of telemedicine in Brazil, seeking to identify the legal conflicts imposed by the action of CFM in substitution of the Legislative Power. It uses the political model of implementation of public policies by William Clune as the basis for the analysis, using the qualitative documentary research method. In conclusion, the implementation of telemedicine must consider the political forces involved, understanding the CFM's role in the normative process, to obtain, in the legal text, a public policy compatible with reality and capable of being implemented.

Construction of an Index System for Assessing Competences of Transplant Coordinators in China: A Delphi Survey.

BACKGROUND: Transplant coordinators (TCs) play a pivotal role in the entire donation process. Their professional competences have a direct impact on donation rates. However, few specific indicators are available for assessing TCs' professional competence. Therefore, it is imperative to develop an assessment index system to measure their competence. Our objective was to construct an index system for assessing TCs' professional competences. METHODS: Based on a literature review and semistructured interviews, a focus group and 12 TCs were enrolled to design the questionnaires. Then, a modified Delphi method was used. Two rounds of questionnaires were distributed to 21 experts from 7 provinces across multiple research areas between October 2020 and March 2021. The data were sorted and analyzed by a focus group. RESULTS: A combined assessment index system, namely, APT, including 3 constructs, the admittance assessment model (henceforth A), practical operation assessment model (P), and thousand-point performance assessment model (T), was constructed. This APT index system consisted of 3 first-level items, 8 second-level items, and 34 third-level items. CONCLUSIONS: The APT assessment system has been unanimously recognized by experts. This index system, as a precursor form, will further lay the foundation for formation of an assessment instrument and provide references for other countries.

Development and Psychometric Validation of the Perinatal Bereavement Care Competence Scale for Midwives.

PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to develop a scale for measuring the perinatal bereavement care competence of midwives and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS: The Perinatal Bereavement Care Competence Scale was developed in four phases. (1) Item generation: 75 items were formulated based on a literature review and interviews with midwives. (2) Delphi expert consultation: 15 experts evaluated whether the items were clear/appropriate/relevant to the questionnaire dimensions, and the items were optimized. (3) Pilot test: The comprehensibility, acceptability, and time required to complete the questionnaire by midwives were assessed. (4) Evaluation of reliability and validity: The scale was validated by initial item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The final scale consisted of six dimensions and 25 items: maintaining belief (three items), knowing (four items), being with (six items), preserving dignity (four items), enabling (five items), and self-adjustment (three items). Exploratory factor analysis yielded a six-factor structure that was consistent with the theoretical framework and explained 70.8% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a good fit for the six-factor model. Cronbach's α for the scale was 0.931, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.968. CONCLUSION: The Perinatal Bereavement Care Competence Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the competence of midwives in caring for bereaved parents who have experienced perinatal loss.

Association Between Surgical Volume and Survival Among Patients With Variant Histologies of Bladder Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between hospital volume and the management of bladder cancer variant histology. Variant histologies of bladder cancer are rare which limits the ability for providers to develop expertise however there is a clear hospital and/or surgeon-volume relationship for management of rare or complex surgical and/or medical diseases. METHODS: We queried the National Cancer Database from 2004-2016 for all cases of bladder cancer, identifying cases of variant histology. Our primary outcome was overall survival while secondary outcomes included identifying treatment patterns. Hospitals were stratified into those that managed ≤2, >2-4, >4-6, and ≥6 cases per year of variant histology. RESULTS: We identified 23,284 patients with bladder cancer of variant histology who were treated at 1301 hospitals. Few institutions had high volume experience with this disease: 18.5% (n = 241) treated >2 patients annually and 5.7% (n = 76) treated >4 cases annually. Hospital volume positively correlated with utilization of early radical cystectomy (RC) in non-muscle invasive disease and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive disease. On multivariable analysis, increased hospital volume was associated with improved survival. After stratifying by sub-type, hospital volume continued to be associated with improved survival for squamous, small cell, and sarcomatoid cancers. CONCLUSION: Management of variant histology urothelial carcinoma at high-volume centers is associated with improved overall survival. The mechanisms of this are multifactorial, and future research should focus on improvement opportunities for low-volume hospitals, centralization of care, and/or increased access to care at high-volume centers.

Perceptions of Pharmacy students about their competences for professional practice in community pharmacy

Abstract Pharmaceutical education should enable the development of competences for community pharmacy practice, which is an important field for the pharmacist workforce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the competences perceived by pharmacy interns from a Brazilian pharmacy school for community pharmacy practice. This study adopted a combined quantitative and qualitative approach. The study cohort included undergraduate students who undertook internships in community pharmacy in the final year of the pharmacy course. Students responded to an 11-item structured questionnaire according to a five-point Likert scale that included perceptions of their competences for community pharmacy practice. Among the 693 possible answers, 605 (87.3%) agreed that the course promoted the development of competences for professional practice in community pharmacy. Less than 70% of students perceived themselves as prepared to respond to symptoms and provide non-prescription medicines. Qualitative analysis of the comments revealed three themes: the need to improve patient information skills, improve practice as a member of a health care team, and improve dispensing according to legal requirements. These findings may support improvements in undergraduate pharmacy programs, such as the inclusion of experiential learning, active learning methods, interprofessional education, and development of clinical skills.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Revised 2021 Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Management of Food and Nutrition Systems.

Management of food and nutrition systems (MFNS) encompasses the varied roles of registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) with administrative responsibilities for food and nutrition services within an organization. RDNs in MFNS are frequently employed in acute care, but also expand into a multitude of other settings in which management of nutrition and foodservice is required, for example, foodservice departments in assisted living and post-acute and long-term care; colleges and universities, kindergarten through grade 12 and pre-kindergarten schools and childcare; retail foodservice operations; correctional facilities; and companies that produce, distribute, and sell food products. RDNs in MFNS aim to create work environments that support high-quality customer-centered care and services, attract and retain talented staff, and foster an atmosphere of collaboration and innovation. The Management in Food and Nutrition Systems Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has revised the Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for RDNs in MFNS for 3 levels of practice: competent, proficient, and expert. The SOPP describes 6 domains that focus on professional performance: Quality in Practice, Competence and Accountability, Provision of Services, Application of Research, Communication and Application of Knowledge, and Utilization and Management of Resources. Indicators outlined in the SOPP depict how these standards apply to practice. The standards and indicators for RDNs in MFNS are written with the leader in mind-to support an individual in a leadership role or who has leadership aspirations. The SOPP is intended to be used by RDNs for self-evaluation to assure competent professional practice.

Qualifications of Executive Nurses for Service on Hospital Boards.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this qualitative survey was to document executive nurse leaders' perception of their own leadership qualities in the context of the American Hospital Association (AHA) recommended membership requirements for executive hospital board appointment. BACKGROUND: Hospital boards of trustees are increasingly responsible for the quality of care and its impact on financial performance. High-performing boards are focused on the accountability of chief executive officer for quality metrics. Nurse leaders have valuable insight into key shared governance issues such as quality of care, financial performance, legal requirements, and regulatory oversight. METHODS: Fifty senior-level nurse executive members polled from the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, the Texas Organization of Nurse Leaders, and the Texas Nurse Practitioners Association completed an online quantitative survey using The Center for Healthcare Governance (CHG) Assessment Tool© of the AHA, which details a list of skills, experience, and personal qualities for executive hospital board placement. Respondents ranked their individual knowledge and skills on a 4-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Participant responses indicated that senior-level nurse executives have significant expertise in the key areas of quality, patient safety and performance, healthcare administration and policy, and business management. Areas ranking lower are those associated with organizational specialties: legal, construction project management, and finance. CONCLUSION: This information can be used to educate executive hospital boards regarding the qualifications of nurse leaders members. Nursing leaders, professional organizations, and academia can use this information to assess the skills of senior nursing leaders as it relates to potential board appointments.

The Influence of Dentists' Profile and Health Work Management in the Performance of Brazilian Dental Teams.

To evaluate the association between dentists' profile and health work management with the performance of primary care dental teams in the Brazilian National Health System, both nationally and regionally. Secondary data analysis from a Brazilian National Programme that evaluated 18,114 Brazilian dental teams, working in the public sector, between 2013 and 2014. Twenty-four independent variables taken from dentists' profile and dental team management characteristics were analysed to assess their influence on reported "dental team performance." An estimated score was generated from their performance on 20 dental procedures by an item response theory model. Multiple linear regression models were performed for each Brazilian geographical region, separately and for the whole of Brazil. p values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Two variables related to dentists' profile, "having graduate studies" (ß = 0.151) and "undertaking continuing professional development training" (ß = 0.101), were associated with enhanced dental team performance in all five Brazilian geographical regions and nationally. The dental team management variables of "having a flexible dental appointment list" (ß = 0.218) and "monitoring oral health indicators" (ß = 0.132) also contributed to improve team performance in each of the regions and nationally. Dentists' profile influenced the performance of dental teams from south region more than the other regions. The findings suggest that continuing professional development, including postgraduate education, and strategic management characteristics are important for primary dental care performance and should be reflected in health policy initiatives in support of quality care. Regional factors could be considered for health care management.

Adequate emergency department resource usage: Applying simulation-based workshop to improve teaching competence among elementary and junior high school teachers in Taiwan.

INTRODUCTION: More than 80% of patients who visited Emergency Department (ED) was not urgent in Taiwan in 2019. It causes insufficient medical services and a latent fiscal threat to the Nation Health Insurance (NHI). This study adopted simulation-based educating modules to explore the effect in teaching competence among primary and middle school teachers for efficient AEDRU (adequate emergency department resource usage) education in the future. METHOD: The subjects were 414 elementary and junior high school teachers in Taiwan. 214 participants attended the simulation-based workshop as the simulation-based group, whereas 200 participants took an online self-learning module as the self-learning group. The workshop was created by an expert panel for decreasing the unnecessary usage amount of ED medial resources. The materials are lecture, board games, miniature ED modules, and simulation-based scenarios. A teaching competence questionnaire including ED knowledge, teaching attitude, teaching skills, and teaching self-efficacy was conducted among participants before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed via McNemar, paired t test and the generalized estimating equations (GEE). RESULTS: The study showed that teachers who participated in the simulation-based workshop had improved more in teaching competence than those who received the online self-learning module. In addition, there were significant differences between the pre-test and post-test among the two groups in teaching competence. CONCLUSION: The simulation-based workshop is effective and it should be spread out. When students know how to use ED medical resources properly, they could affect their families. It can help the ED service to be used properly and benefits the finance of the NHI. The health care cost will be managed while also improving health.

[Cooperation protocol and advanced practice, an evolutionary perspective for the French radiation therapist]. / Protocole de coopération et pratique avancée, une perspective d'évolution pour le manipulateur en radiothérapie français.

For several years, the profession of radiographer has been unattractive and is in search of professional recognition. Increasingly complex therapeutic and diagnostic evolutions forces professionals to develop their skills to ensure quality and safe care for all patients. The primary role of the radiographer is to support patients and to accompany them during their examination or treatment, combining caregiver and technician's roles. Transversal missions and delegation of tasks are inherent to the profession but are not widely recognized. Cooperation between radiotherapy professionals is a response to offer the therapeutic radiographer/radiation therapist (RTT) opportunities in terms of attractiveness, career prospects, and increased skills. In radiotherapy, advanced practice activities already exist in some departments but require regulatory adjustments, in particular regarding the redistribution of the roles of RTT but also the status of these professionals. The formalization of these practices can be largely inspired by the many feedbacks around the world. This article aims to reflect the evolution's perspectives in the career of an RTT and on the valorisation of this profession in the current context.

Regulating the health workforce in Europe: implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the European free movement zone, various mechanisms aim to harmonize how the competence of physicians and nurses is developed and maintained to facilitate the cross-country movement of professionals. This commentary addresses these mechanisms and discusses their implications during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing lessons for future policy. It argues that EU-wide regulatory mechanisms should be reviewed to ensure that they provide an adequate foundation for determining competence and enabling health workforce flexibility during health system shocks. Currently, EU regulation focuses on the automatic recognition of the primary education of physicians and nurses. New, flexible mechanisms should be developed for specializations, such as intensive or emergency care. Documenting new skills, such as the ones acquired during rapid training in the pandemic, in a manner that is comparable across countries should be explored, both for usual practice and in light of outbreak preparedness. Initiatives to strengthen continuing education and professional development should be supported further. Funding under the EU4Health programme should be dedicated to this endeavour, along with revisiting the scope of necessary skills following the experience of COVID-19. Mechanisms for cross-country sharing of information on violations of good practice standards should be maintained and strengthened to enable agile reactions when the need for professional mobility becomes urgent.

COVID-19 reveals the urgent need to strengthen nursing informatics competencies: a view from Peru.

The COVID-19 pandemic requires an urgent action to transform health-care delivery and to promote research and capacity-building nursing programs. Specifically, many countries at the global level have described nursing informatics as an essential competence for nurse professionals. In Peru, nursing personnel represents the largest health workforce group and nursing informatics is still emerging, but the field appear to hold much promise. In this sense, the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MoH) defined in 2020 the core nursing competences, which included a technology and innovation domain. The competence established to apply scientifically based technology and innovation to improve the processes or health service resources. The minimum competencies established by the MoH were as follows: to carry out innovations in processes or resources in their different professional performance areas, to creatively adapt technology in different areas of professional performance, to make rational and ethical use of health technologies with focus on new developments that will be evaluated and applied critically, and to manage information and communication technologies, and health information systems, with emphasis on telehealth (i.e. telemedicine, telecare management, tele-education, and tele-training). Besides the nursing competences defined by the MoH is a good starting point, this special contribution discusses the urgent need to strengthen nursing informatics competencies in Peru.

Compliance, practices, and attitudes towards VTIs (Vehicle Technical Inspections) in Spain: What prevents Spanish drivers from checking up their cars?

OBJECTIVE: Mechanical conditions of vehicles may play a determinant role in driving safety, the reason why vehicle periodical technical inspections (VTIs) are mandatory in many countries. However, the high number of drivers sanctioned for not complying with this regulation is surprisingly high, and there is not much evidence on what kind(s) of motives may explain this concerning panorama. This study aimed to identify the aspects that modulate the relationship between complying (or not) with VTI's standards in a nationwide sample of Spanish drivers. The study design also addressed the drivers' awareness regarding different risky behaviors while driving, depending on their sex and their crash record. METHODS: 1,100 Spanish drivers completed a survey on the aforementioned issues. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Bonferroni post-hoc adjustment was conducted to assess significant differences (p<0.05) in the study variables. RESULTS: Most of the surveyed drivers (99.18%) reported that they always comply with VTI's requirements. The main reasons to comply were related to compliance with traffic regulation and fear of penalties, while the reasons attributed to its incompliance are, instead, stated as involuntary. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study support the idea that more actions are needed to increase drivers' awareness of the relevance of VTIs for road safety, as well as warning them about the dangers of neglecting vehicle checking beyond merely punishing measures. For this reason and given the greater prevalence of the issue among younger segments of the driving population, it is suggested that more emphasis on the matter could be made during novice driver's training.

Competencies in health promotion by nurses for adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: to describe the health promotion competency domains, performed by nurses, for adolescents, according to the Galway Consensus. METHOD: a qualitative study based on the Galway Consensus theoretical methodological framework. Fifteen nurses from northeastern Brazil participated. Data were collected between April and May 2017 through pre-structured interviews, submitted to the content analysis technique and analyzed according to the Galway Consensus dimensions. RESULTS: the following competency areas were found: catalyzing changes, leadership, needs assessment, planning, implementation, and partnerships. These competencies were contemplated from embracement of adolescents at health unit, guidance, teamwork, educational activities and lectures, as well as active search. CONCLUSION: most health promotion domains were observed; however, it is still suggested that there are challenges to an effective performance of health promotion among adolescents because some competency domains in health promotion have not been evidenced.

A Theoretical Model of Transition to Practice for Athletic Trainers.

CONTEXT: The transition to practice of newly credentialed athletic trainers (ATs) has become an area of focus in the athletic training literature. However, no theoretical model has been developed to describe the phenomenon and drive investigation. OBJECTIVE: To better understand the lived experience of the transition to practice and develop a theoretical model of transition to practice for ATs. DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTING: Telephone interviews. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Fourteen professional master's athletic training students (7 men, 7 women, age = 25.6 ± 3.7 years, from 9 higher education institutions) in the first year of clinical practice as newly credentialed ATs. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Participants completed semistructured phone interviews at 3 timepoints over 12 to 15 months. The first interview was conducted just before graduation, the second 4 to 6 months later, and the third at 10 to 12 months. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: We developed a theoretical model to explain the causal conditions that triggered transition, how the causal conditions were experienced, the coping strategies used to persist through the first year of practice, and the consequences of those strategies. CONCLUSIONS: The model provides a framework for new athletic training clinicians, educators, and employers to better understand the transition process in order to help new clinicians respond by accepting or adapting to their environment or their behaviors.

A Modified Delphi Study for the Development of a Leadership Curriculum for Pediatric Oncology.

BACKGROUND: The broader construct of participatory system-wide leadership has not been highlighted in the pediatric oncology domain, although these skills are teachable. The researchers conducted the current study to develop a leadership competency curriculum for pediatric oncologists in Egypt. METHODS: The study was carried out in three phases: (1) Conducting a literature review for the years 2013-2018 to identify the initial competencies of pediatric oncology leadership (2) Holding a meeting with a superior reference panel (SRP) to get a consensus on the initial list of competencies, and (3) Conducting a two-round modified Delphi survey. RESULTS: Seventy-five invitees from 12 countries completed the first round (R1) of the survey. Of the 75 respondents to R1, 69 completed round 2 (R2) (92%). In R1, 73 competency items were surveyed for relevance to include in a pediatric oncology leader role curriculum. Thirty-seven items were judged for inclusion, while 36 items were judged for exclusion. In R2, the 37 competencies relevant for inclusion were presented in which participants were asked to check them as either IN or OUT. Finally, 17 competencies remained. CONCLUSION: The process resulted in 17 pediatric oncology leader role competencies. CONCLUSION: This final set of 17 competency items is considered as an important step towards reducing the variability in pediatric oncology education and practice that currently exists in Egypt. This is the initial step towards developing a learning and assessment toolkit for this imperative area of research and practice. 
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Kelly McGrady: 'Help Me Help My People'.

A Native American nurse draws on her heritage, faith, and leadership training to tackle whatever crisis is at hand.

Development and validation of a new Multidisciplinary Approach Competency Scale for Prevention of Child Abuse from Pregnancy (MUSCAT).

Child abuse remains a major global problem. A high-quality multidisciplinary approach involving different professionals for the early prevention of child abuse beginning from pregnancy is paramount because child abuse is associated with multiple potential risk factors at individual and societal levels. A multidisciplinary approach to preventing child abuse involves interprofessional coordination, and requires clear definitions of professional competency. However, no scale to measure professional competency for such multidisciplinary approaches is available. This study aimed to develop and validate the Multidisciplinary Approach Competency Scale for Prevention of Child Abuse from Pregnancy (MUSCAT). First, a draft scale comprising 30 items was developed based on a literature review, and then refined to 21 items through expert interviews. Next, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among experts from 1,146 child and maternal health institutions (health centers, perinatal medical centers/hospitals, child consultation centers, midwife clinics, and kindergartens) in 10 major prefectures and cities throughout Japan. The questionnaire collected respondents' demographic data and information about one child abuse case, and asked respondents to apply the provisional MUSCAT to the reported case. Finally, three of the 21 items were excluded by item analysis, leaving 18 items for exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses identified 10 items on two factors: "Collaborative Networking" and "Professional Commitment." The goodness of fit index was 0.963, adjusted goodness of fit index was 0.939, comparative fit index was 0.988, and root mean square error of approximation was 0.043. The Cronbach's alpha for the entire scale was 0.903, and values for the subscales were 0.840-0.875. The overall scale score was positively correlated with the Interprofessional Collaboration Competency Scale. The MUSCAT demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and validity, and has potential for use in advancing individual practice and team performance in multidisciplinary approaches for early prevention of child abuse.

Fundamentos teóricos que sustentan la superación y el desempeño profesional de cirujanos generales en la atención preoperatoria / Theoretical foundations supporting professional improvement and performance of general surgeons in preoperative care

Introducción: El proceso de superación de los profesionales dedicados a las especialidades quirúrgicas y a la atención preoperatoria de los enfermos, es vital y constituye una vía para gestionar la actualización de conocimientos y habilidades. Estos favorecen la elevación de la calidad del desempeño, con el fin de evitar suspensiones quirúrgicas, que muchas veces tienen solapadas limitaciones e insuficiencias del personal médico. Objetivo: Identificar los fundamentos teóricos que sustentan la superación y el desempeño profesional de los cirujanos generales para el mejoramiento de la calidad en la atención preoperatoria. Métodos: Se utilizaron el análisis-síntesis, histórico-lógico, sistematización, hermenéutico-dialéctico, observación científica y análisis documental. Desarrollo: En la literatura aparecen disimiles artículos en relación al mejoramiento del desempeño profesional. Estos proponen estrategias de superación profesional que llevan a una mejoría indiscutible de la calidad en atención brindada a los enfermos, la interrelación e interconexión entre la superación y el desempeño profesional para gestionar la actualización de conocimientos y habilidades en la atención preoperatoria, constituye el eslabón fundamental. Conclusión: El presente trabajo permitió identificar y opinar acerca de los fundamentos teóricos necesarios para el proceso de superación profesional y hacia el mejoramiento del desempeño profesional de los cirujanos generales en la atención preoperatoria, demostrando relación directa entre ambas categorías(AU)

Introduction: The process of improvement for professionals dedicated to surgical specialties and preoperative care of patients is vital and constitutes a way to manage the updating of knowledge and skills. These favor the increase in the quality of performance, a fact aimed at avoiding surgical suspensions, which often have overlapping limitations and inadequacies of medical personnel. Objective: To identify the theoretical foundations supporting professional improvement and performance of general surgeons in view of improving the quality of preoperative care. Methods: Analysis-synthesis, the historical-logical method, systematization, the hermeneutic-dialectic method, scientific observation and documentary analysis were used. Development: In the literature, there are dissimilar articles about the improvement of professional performance. These propose professional improvement strategies leading to the undeniable improvement in the quality of care provided to patients; the interrelation and interconnection between improvement and professional performance to manage the updating of knowledge and skills in preoperative care constitutes the fundamental link. Conclusion: The present work allowed identifying and commenting about the theoretical foundations necessary for the process of professional improvement and aimed at the improvement of professional performance of general surgeons in preoperative care, demonstrating a direct relationship between both categories(AU)