Vivência de mães de criança com câncer em cuidados paliativos.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the mothers´ experience of children with cancer under palliative care. Methods: It consists of a qualitative field research carried out in a hospital in João Pessoa, Paraíba. The sample consisted of 10 mothers of children with cancer under palliative care. In order to make data collection possible, a semi-structured interview was conducted. The collected data were analyzed by means of the content analysis technique proposed by Bardin. Results: Two thematic categories have been extracted: mothers experiencing diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer; and the importance of family support during the care of hospitalized children with cancer. Conclusion: Taking the study into account, it is clear that palliative care needs to be fully included in pediatric oncology care, in view of the mothers’ difficult experience in facing the diagnosis and treatment of the child. It is, the refore, necessary that health professionals create warm dialogue scenarios.