Abstract
Objective: To comprehend the perception and the challenges experienced by nurse technicians with regard to the inclusion of nursing academics in the work environment. Methods: A qualitative study was performed with 18 nurses who work in the Family Health Strategy teams in a municipality located in Zona da Mata, a region in Minas Gerais. Data collection was carried out between the months of September and November 2019 through interviews based on a semi-structured script. The data were subjected to Content Analysis. Results: Most interviewees were women whose average length of experience in practical classes was 5 years. The content of the interviews resulted in three thematic categories: “What does practice teach?” “Teaching-service integration: a two-way street” and “Students vs. Nurse technicians: experienced challenges”. Conclusion: It follows that the Nurse technicians perceive that the inclusion of nursing academics in the practical field work promotes benefits to patients, academics and professionals, resulting from the development of activities that had already been inserted into the service and from the implementation of new action proposals. However, some single factors related to the very academic principles and external factors related to the infrastructure and organization of the working process can influence the perception of Nurse technicians.