Cuidado espiritual à criança com câncer em cuidados paliativos e à sua família: olhar de enfermeiros assistenciais à luz da teoria de Jean Watson

Abstract

Introduction: Spiritual care is an important tool for coping with difficult situations, especially in assisting children with cancer in pediatric palliative care. It is also a fundamental pillar of Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. Objective: To analyze the practice of spiritual care provided by nurses to children with cancer in palliative care and their families, in light of Jean Watson’s Theory. Method: A scoping review was conducted to map the scientific evidence regarding the practice of spiritual care in nursing assistance for children with cancer and their families in healthcare services. Additionally, an explanatory study approved by the Research Ethics Committee under opinions n. 4.932.844, 5.309.144, and CAAE 50437021.0.0000.5188 was performed. This study included 13 nurses from the pediatric oncology service of a philanthropic hospital. Data collected through semi-structured interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis with the support of the Iramuteq software. Results: These were structured into three articles. The first, a scoping review, resulted in the identification of nursing spiritual care actions for children and their families, along with the importance of the family in promoting spiritual comfort and well-being. The second article revealed that nurses have a satisfactory understanding of spiritual care, which aligns with the elements of Watson's theory. The third article found that nurses provide spiritual care to children with cancer and their families, relating to the 10 evocations of the caritas-veritas process. Conclusion: Participants understand the importance of spiritual care and incorporate it modestly into their practice. The nursing interventions of spiritual care for children with cancer in palliative care and their families corroborate with those described in the literature and converge with the guiding elements of Jean Watson's Theory.