Brazil Strengthens Nursing Autonomy and Hospital Efficiency with Key Legal Rulings and Innovative Management
Brazil advances nursing autonomy through key legal decisions while Goiás enhances hospital efficiency with a new rotation system to reduce overcrowding.
- • TRF1 upheld nursing autonomy in aesthetic procedures, rejecting Federal Medical Council's challenges.
- • STF confirmed nurses' right to prescribe medications in the Federal District.
- • TST recognized a nursing strike over salary delays as legitimate.
- • Goiás State implemented a hospital rotation system reducing overcrowding and improving surgery rates.
Key details
Recent developments in Brazilian healthcare highlight major advances both legally for nursing professionals and in hospital management strategies to improve patient care. The Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1) upheld a 2022 ruling by the Federal Nursing Council (Cofen) affirming nurses' autonomy in aesthetic procedures. This decision rejects challenges from the Federal Medical Council (CFM) and reinforces nursing legal security nationwide. Additionally, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) confirmed the right of nurses in the Federal District to prescribe medications, further expanding their professional scope. In parallel, the Superior Labor Court (TST) recognized a strike by nursing staff in Timbaúba over salary delays as legitimate, underscoring labor issues in the sector (source 138381).
On the organizational front, Goiás State has implemented the "Semana Protegida" program, rotating its four main emergency hospitals weekly to focus on elective surgeries and internal demands while others handle emergency cases. This approach has already led to no patients waiting in corridors for over 20 days at the Hospital de Urgências de Goiás Dr. Valdemiro Cruz (Hugo) and improved surgery throughput, with 63 elective and 368 urgent surgeries conducted during one protected week (source 138388). Health Secretary Rasível Santos emphasized this strategy aims to enhance hospital efficiency and patient outcomes by better integrating services and reducing overcrowding.
These combined legal affirmations and innovative hospital rotations reflect Brazil's commitment to advancing nursing autonomy, addressing workforce challenges, and optimizing health service delivery for improved public health outcomes.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.