This is an exploratory and descriptive study that aimed to evaluate the quality standards in health in 13 Brazilian public neonatal and pediatric intensive care units in periods prior (situational diagnosis) and subsequent (reassessment) to the development of the Program for Support for the Institutional Development of the Unified Health System. A diagnostic assessment tool was prepared based on decree n. 3432, of August 12, 1998. Training was planned based on the situational diagnosis. Ten assessment criteria were measured and, in the diagnostic phase, five had a 40 percent compliance rate. The training program was structured with on-the-job training (12 hours), which added up to 290 hours, and on a course with guided visits (30 hours), totaling 810 man hours and with an average of 180 man hours. During the reassessment, it was noted that there was an increase in nine of the ten criteria evaluated. The methodology that was adopted enabled the development of an educational program based on situational analysis, with satisfactory training indicators, considering the peculiarity of the public health sector. The participation of professionals from the hospital of excellence was relevant to the achievement of the results, as this provided space for discussion and for the exchange of experiences.
social responsibility; Unified Health System; continuing education; management indicators; health care quality
