Innovative education for adolescent mothers in neonatal care: practices in nursing training

OBJECTIVE: To develop the skills of undergraduate nursing students for health education with adolescent mothers. METHOD: Qualitative study, action research, public federal university hospital, with undergraduate nursing students in their neonatal internship, and with adolescent mothers. The interventions were established through the creation of a practical guide for safe discharge, awareness workshops for graduating students and educational sessions with mothers, conversation circles, and realistic simulations in an appropriate space, with feedback from the students and mothers. Data were analyzed using informational clusters, thematic analysis, and categorization. RESULTS: The graduating students recognized the importance of educational initiatives for teenage mothers, and the benefit to their development. Active methodologies can strengthen reflective practice and training in undergraduate nursing programs, promoting playful strategies for self-efficacy in caregiving among adolescent mothers. The intervention promoted the empowerment of teenage mothers through the listening to their needs and fostered their autonomy. CONCLUSION: Innovative and interactive education can promote meaningful learning, improve professional qualifications, and align teaching with social demands, with a focus on health education for adolescent mothers.