| dc.description.abstract | The process of environmental degradation is increasing, amazingly, and its effects are felt,
everyday, in social and work spaces. However, few measures are taken to rein this process.
We live in a "Risk Society", where environmental risks are part of human daily life, although
these risks are not thought or reflected, but only confronted by individuals supposedly
protected by protective cocoons, which are based on continuity of institutionalized routines, in
the sense of ontological security and in the elements characteristic of High Modernity.
However, when strategies for environmental education are offered to the individuals, becomes
feasible for them to reflect about their behavior and be motivated to change. In this context,
the objective of this research was to describe as it is developed the environmental education in
a hospital, from the individuals directly involved in its planning and formal executing .
Methodologically, we adopted a qualitative approach, using the research method of case
study, and as collection procedures we use documentary research and semi-structured
interview. The study was developed in one hospital of the Grupo Hospitalar Conceição and
had as research subject the individuals who joined the Center for Environmental Education of
this hospital and other people indicated by them. In this process, based on Content Analysis,
we built five thematic axis. The first axis discusses the concepts of the research subjects about
environment and environmental education, composing six categories of analysis. The second
axis reflects about the experiences of the Hospital Conceição in environmental education,
comprising four categories. The third axis describe the consequences of environmental
education actions in the context of High Modernity, composing two categories of analysis.
The fourth axis refers to discussion about difficulties and challenges of environmental
education within the healthcare institution, covering six categories. And finally, the fifth axis
of this research shows a possible way to develop environmental education in a hospital. At the
end of this study it was concluded that the actions of environmental education in this
institution are isolated, fragmented and limited to practices by individuals or groups interested
in this theme; therefore it is necessary: an environmental institutional policy that works as a
financial, legal, structural and human support to develop environmental actions; a group
entirely focused on the discussion and elaboration of environmental activities in the hospital;
and, furthermore, it is very important the involvement of managers with environmental cause.
Despite these challenges, environmental education developed at the institution represents a
small, but important step towards the construction of a complex environmental knowledge
necessary in a context of Reflexive Modernity. | |
