Evaluation of Clinical Aptitude before Hypertensive Crises Management in Primary Health Care Level

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the clinical aptitude for the hypertensive crisis management in a group of Family physicians. Methods: interventional, quasi-experimental, longitudinal and prospective study of 37 specialists in Family Medicine (sfm), outpatient and continuing medical care consultation from the three shifts of a Family Medicine Unit (fmu) of San Luis Potosí, México. The strategy consisted of eight sessions distributed over two months, to measure the clinical aptitude in hypertensive crisis it was applied an instrument (Cronbach 0.95) pre and post intervention, and socio-demographic variables were analyzed, as well as the learning style with the Felder and Honey-Alonso test. Results: from the 37 studied physicians, 67.6% (25) had valid certification, 32.4% (12), were not certified. There was a significant positive change in the level of subsequent strategy competence (p=<0.05), as well as a relevant correlation between the latter and the presence of certification of the sfm and type of learning theoretical and reflective of the Honey-Alonso test (p=<0.05). Conclusions: a constructivist learning strategy improved the clinical ability in the management of hypertensive crises in a group of Family physicians.