Inserção da mãe no cuidado ao filho internado na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica

Abstract

This is a qualitative approach study, developed with the objective of understanding the feelings, difficulties and benefits experienced by the mothers of children hospitalized at a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), before and during the process of inclusion in the care for their hospitalized children. The theoretical reference applied was Madeleine Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory, and the methodological reference was the Convergent- Assistential Research approach. The study was carried out in the PICU at Maringá Regional University Hospital, which features six beds, in the period from January-May 2007. The sample consisted of six mothers of children hospitalized with acute and chronic pathologies that required hospital stays longer than five days, and who were willing and able to care fortheir children during their stay at the PICU. Data was collected through two formal interviews - one at the beginning of the study and another at its conclusion, - and also through active observation during the process of including the mother in her child's care. Analysis was conducted following four generic processes: gathering, synthesis, theorization and application. From this analysis, four categories emerged as a result of reflecting on the inclusion process of including mothers in the care for their children hospitalized in the PICU: 1) Living with the child's hospitalization; 2) Trying to recover from the impact caused by the hospitalization; 3) Maternal experiences during her process of inclusion in caring for her child, and 4) Evaluating the experience of having had a child hospitalized in the PICU, and being included in the process of caring for her hospitalized child. It was possible to notice that in the initial stages of hospitalization, the mother experienced several negative feelings, which were mitigated as she adapted to the hospital environment, and especially as the child started to recover. It was also noticed that her personal and family life lost balance as a result of the impact from the child's illness and hospitalization, making it necessary to make use of her social network to maintain or seek the family's emotional balance (and consequently the mother's own as well), so that she can aid in the treatment and recovery of her child. When she was included in the caring process, the mother experienced more positive than negative feelings, and frequently mentioned the joy and satisfaction of being able to care. At the end of the process, when an evaluation is conducted of the experience of being included in caring, several observations are highlighted: the difficulties related to the fear experienced at the sight of unknown techniques and procedures, of the devices hooked up to the child - which make care more difficult -, as well as the potential harm she could cause her child due to her lack of skill and dexterity. Also, highlights are given to the benefits that participation in caring brings to mother and child alike, such as: increased bonding, confidence in the mother and serenity in the child. Great importance was given to faith in God and family support during the entire hospitalization process. These results reinforce that maternal care brings countless benefits to her and to her child; that health professionals - particularly nurses - need to rethink their behaviors, beliefs, values and attitudes in regards to the companion mother, as well as provide ways for her immediate inclusion in the care for her child, with the purpose of tightening and/or maintaining the bond between mother and child and preparing the mother to care for the child, especially after discharge from the PICU.