Stricto sensu training: perspective of students of a nursing program

Objective: To analyze academic training in a stricto sensu graduate program in nursing from students' perspective. Method: This is mixed methods, convergent parallel research, carried out with 91 students from a graduate nursing program in southern Brazil using an online questionnaire. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. Results: Seventy students (76.9%) recognized improvements in their professional life and 74 (81.4%) felt motivated to take the courses. Mental distress (48; 52.7%), accumulation of work ties with course activities (46; 50.5%), lack of financial support for research (41, 45.1%) were related to demotivation. Of the respondents, 71 (78%) completely agreed with the program's adherence to the nursing area, although the lowest percentage of agreement (n=69; 31.4%) occurred in the item referring to the discussion for periodic updating of production, articulation and adherence of research laboratories to the program's research lines. Conclusion: The graduate course has contributed to professionals' qualification process such as professors, researchers and managers, leading to the conclusion that it is essential that programs have an understanding of the contributions that these courses bring to professionals and to health system improvement.